Describing people

If someone ask you what a certain person look like (for instance, your mother, your teacher, or a new friend), what do you say?.  You will describe a person by mentioning the general features first (for instance, My brother is tall  and muscular.) and the second you will  describe physical features, specific facial features and the personality traits or someone’s characters.

A. General description

                The following groups of words are for general description. Look them over.

COMPLEXION     : fair, dark.

HEIGHT             : tall, short, of average height

AGE                  : old young, elderly, middle-aged

BUILD/ FIGURE  : small, tiny, big, stocky, muscular, skinny, slim, slender, plump, fat, obese.

LOOKS              : attractive, beautiful, charming, pretty, cute, cool, sexy, ugly 

B. Physical features

                The following groups of vocabulary are for describing someone’s physical features.

Hair          : short, curly, wavy hair, kinky hair, grey hair, long hair, dread locks, pony tail, shaved head

Face         : long, oval, pale

Eyes         : small, bright, slanted, almond shaped, crossed eyes,

Nose        : small, flat, pointed, aquiline nose.

Cheeks     : chubby

Ears         : small

Shoulders : narrow

Legs         : slander, knock-kneed, long legs,

C. Specific facial features

            The following groups of vocabulary are for describing someone else by using his or her specific facial features.

Moustache                    beard                sideburn                       Fringe               dimple

Pug nose                      freckles             birthmark                       mole

Now look at the example:

Woman : Officer! Officer! 

Officer  : Yes. Ma’am

Woman  : Somebody just took my purse! My money, my credit cards, everything is gone.

Officer  : All right. Just calm down a minute… OK! Now, what did the person look like?

Woman  : He was tall and thin.

Officer  : About how old was he?

Woman  : He was fairly young, I think around sixteen or seventeen. 

Officer  : and what color was his hair?

Woman  : Blond, and it was long and straight.

Officer   :eyes?

Woman  : I don’t know. It all happened so fast.

Officer  : Yes of course, what was he wearing?

Woman  :Jeans and T-shirt. Oh..! and a vest.

Officer   : Fine. And now tell me about your purse. What did it look like?

Woman  :well, it was dark born.

Officer   :What was it made of?

Woman  : Leather.

D. Personality Traits

What does your friend look like?

What does your brother look like?

How is that person look like? Well, let’s find out at people’s personality traits.

Activity 1. Identifying your own personality

Diligent                                   emotional                              wishy-washy                           discipline              

Clever                                     Friendly                                fussy                                       creative                  

responsible                              Patient                                  lively                                       diplomatic             

selfish                                     easy-going                             stingy                                      humorous                              

aggressive                               intelligent                              Kind                                        Honest                                   

aloof                                       independent                           energetic                                helpful

Untidy                                     cheerful                                 ambitious                                rebellious

Activity 2

                Choose one of your friends in the classroom,. How does your friend like? Use general description, physical features and specific facial features to describe him or her and tell your opinion about your friend personality traits.

                This is my friend. His name/ her name…………………………………………………………………………

His/ her age is around……………………………………………….(AGE)

His / her height is ………………………………………..(HEIGHT)

He/ she is rather ……………………………………………….(BUILD)

And according to my opinion he/she is (LOOKS)

He/she has………………………………………………………………. (HAIR)

His/ her face is…………………………………..OR he/ she has…………………(FACE,EYES,NOSE)

My friend has specific special features. He/ she has…………………(TELL IF YOUR FRIEND  HAS SPECIAL FEATURES)

In my point of view/ in my opinion when I am being a friend of his/ her, she/he is………………….

(TELL YOUR FRIEND PERSONALITY TRAITS)