Describing People

What does your father look like? = what we can see

Height
Build
Hair
Eyes
Other

He/She is
 Build = tall / short / medium height
 Fat / thin /slim/overweight
 well-built, medium build, small build

He/She has

 Hair = short hair, long hair, medium

 Curly, straight, wavy, spikey (cropped, skinhead), (almost) bald
 Colour = dark / light
 black, blonde, fair, red hair, gold, brown, grey, white
 Eyes = brown / blue / green / gray
 Shape = round, narrow, wide, slanted (oriental)
 colour blue, green, brown
 Nose = long/short, big/small, wide/narrow, pointed, bent,

Adjectives to Describe what someone looks like:

Build:

 Slender: Thin and gracefully shaped.

 Petite: Small and dainty in stature.
 Muscular: Well-developed and strong physique.
 Stocky: Short and heavily built.
 Stout: Thickset and solidly built.
  Athletic: Fit and active, with well-defined muscles.
 Curvaceous: Having shapely and well-defined curves.
 Lanky: Tall and thin with long limbs.
 Portly: Round and plump in appearance.
 Lean: Thin but healthy and not underweight.
Hair:

 Straight: Hair with no curls or waves.

 Wavy: Hair with gentle, flowing waves.
 Curly: Hair with tight or pronounced curls.
 Frizzy: Unruly and untamed hair.
 Silky: Smooth and shiny hair.
 Shiny: Hair that reflects light and appears glossy.
 Thinning: Hair becoming sparser due to loss.
 Balding: Experiencing hair loss, often at the top of the head.
 Long-haired: Having hair that extends below the shoulders.
 Short-haired: Having hair that is cut close to the scalp.
Eyes:

 Almond-shaped: Eyes that are oval with slightly upturned outer corners.
 Round: Circular-shaped eyes.
 Hazel: Eyes with a mixture of brown and green or blue.
 Deep-set: Eyes that are set deeply in their sockets.
 Bright: Lively and vibrant eyes.
 Sparkling: Eyes that shine with enthusiasm or joy.
 Piercing: Eyes that appear intense and focused.
 Doe-eyed: Large, innocent-looking eyes.
 Bloodshot: Eyes with visible red veins, often due to fatigue or irritation.
 Sunken: Eyes that appear hollow or deeply recessed.
Face:

 Oval: Face shape that is longer than it is wide with gently curved contours.
 Square: Face shape with a strong jawline and even proportions.
 Round: Face shape with a circular appearance.
 Angular: Face with well-defined, sharp features.
 Chiseled: Face with distinct and sharply defined facial contours.
 Freckled: Covered with small, pigmented spots.
 Wrinkled: Having fine lines and creases on the skin, often due to age.
 Youthful: Having a young and fresh appearance.
 Sunburned: Skin reddened or damaged from sun exposure.
 Scarred: Having visible marks or blemishes on the skin from past injuries or surgeries.
Skin:

 Fair: Light complexion.

  Tanned: Darkened skin due to sun exposure.
 Olive-skinned: Having a warm, Mediterranean complexion.
 Dark-skinned: Having a deep, rich complexion.
 Pale: Having very light or whitish skin.
 Flawless: Perfect and free of imperfections.
 Sensitive: Easily irritated or prone to reactions.
 Rough: Coarse or uneven in texture.
 Dimpled: Having small, natural dents or dimples on the skin.
 Rosy-cheeked: Having pink or flushed cheeks, often due to good health or emotions.
Height:

 Tall: Above average in height.

 Short: Below average in height.
 Average height: Falling within the typical height range.
 Petite: Short and small in stature.
 Towering: Exceptionally tall.
 Statured: Having a dignified or imposing presence.
 Statuesque: Tall and graceful in appearance.
 Diminutive: Extremely small in stature.
 Stunted: Abnormally short or underdeveloped.
 Lanky: Tall and thin with long limbs.

Clothing Style:

 Casual: Informal and relaxed attire.

 Elegant: Stylish and refined clothing.
 Bohemian: Artistic and free-spirited fashion.
 Preppy: Neat and classic clothing style.
 Hipster: Trendy and alternative fashion.
 Vintage: Clothing from past eras.
 Chic: Stylish and fashionable.
 Sporty: Active and athletic attire.
 Edgy: Bold and unconventional style.
 Classic: Timeless and traditional clothing.

Overall Appearance:

 Striking: Attractive and attention-grabbing.

 Distinguished: Having a unique and distinguished appearance.
 Exquisite: Extremely beautiful or elegant.
 Alluring: Attractively enticing or captivating.
 Glamorous: Stylish and sophisticated in appearance.
 Dapper: Neat and stylish, often referring to men's fashion.
 Radiant: Glowing and full of vitality.
 Quirky: Unconventional and eccentric in a charming way.
 Impeccable: Flawless and perfectly presented.
  Enigmatic: Mysterious and intriguing in appearance.

What is your father/mother like? = personality

Positive Adj
Kind – helpful, thinks about other people.
“My father is very kind, one time an old lady fell in the street, and he helped her up.”
Considerate – thinks about other people’s “FEELINGS”
“He always thinks about my feelings, and helps me with many things every day.”
Warm – a warm person makes you feel good about yourself, you have a “warm” feeling
inside.
Funny- always joking and laughing, not serious.
Good sense of humour- someone who likes to laugh, similar to a funny person.
Entertaining – a person who is always the centre of attention at a party and “entertaining”
everyone.
Reliable- never late, always keeps their promises.
“My father is very reliable and usually arrives early”
Honest- doesn’t lie, and if they borrow from you they will always give back/return it.
Straight-forward- talks truthful, even if it hurts, but not in a harmful way.
Cheerful- always happy and smiling and in a good mood.
Positive- always sees the good in a situation, even when everything seems to be bad.
Optimistic- same as a positive person
Negative Adj.
Unreliable
Unkind
Inconsiderate
Dishonest
Negative
Pessimistic
Selfish/self centered- always puts themselves before others, always concerned with their
own problems and feelings and don’t pay attention to other people.
Humourless- never laughing or joking, very serious about everything.
Dull- very boring and uninteresting.
Insincere / two-faced – someone who doesn’t mean what they say. They pretend to be your
friend but talk bad about you behind your back.
Moody- Prone to frequent and unpredictable changes in mood or temperament.
Sample sentence: It's challenging to predict Jake's behavior because he can be quite moody, swinging from
cheerful to sullen without warning.

Grumpy: Easily annoyed or irritable, often in a persistent or habitual manner.

Sample sentence: Don't talk to Tom before he has his morning coffee; he tends to be grumpy until he
wakes up fully.

More adjectives:
charming
Extremely pleasing or delightful. Used to describe someone who behaves in a
way that people are attracted to.
He’s a very charming man. Everyone loves him the moment they meet him.
fun
/ˈtʃɑːmɪŋ/
sociable
Someone who is friendly and enjoys being with other people.
He’s very sociable. He loves going to parties and meeting new people.
/ˈsəʊʃəb(ə)l/
welcoming
Someone who’s friendly and makes you feel accepted; like you belong there.
I was so nervous attending the Christmas party at my new company, but my
manager was really welcoming.
/ˈwelkəmɪŋ/
chirpy
Happy & lively
Most people are grumpy on a cold winter morning, but Ana is always chirpy.
/ˈtʃɜːpi/
adventurous
Willing to try new, exciting things.
Pete is an adventurous traveller; he's been to over 30 countries already!
/ədˈventʃ(ə)rəs/
witty
Someone who uses words in a clever and funny way.
James is a very witty guy. He would make a great comedian!
/ˈwɪti/
generous
Giving people more of your time or money than what’s expected.
Jessica's parents are very generous. They donate a lot of money to the church.
understanding
/ˈdʒenərəs/
Empathetic, compassionate, and having the ability to comprehend and sympathize with others' feelings or
situations.
Sample sentence: The understanding teacher listened to the students' concerns and offered support during
a difficult time.
considerate
To think about the feelings and needs of people; to be kind and helpful.
It was very considerate to invite Sarah and John to the Christmas Party since
they don't have any family living nearby.
/kənˈsɪdərət/
thoughtful
Carefully considering things and showing that you consider what other people
want or need as important.
After my fall at work, Miranda took me to the doctor stayed with me all
evening. She was so thoughtful.
/ˈθɔːtf(ə)l/
compassionate
Feeling sympathy or sadness for someone who is going through a difficult time
and trying to help them.
I can't think of anyone more compassionate than a nurse. They work sohard to
make people who are unwell more comfortable.
/kəmˈpæʃ(ə)nət/
empathetic
Able to understand how someone feels because you can imagine being them.
While I was going through my divorce, Sue was the person I opened up to. She
is the most empathetic of all my friends.
/empæˈθetɪk/
diplomatic
Acting in a way that maintains the peace and doesn’t cause offense to
anyone; someone who is sensitive when dealing with others.
If there’s a disagreement, he’s the best person to go to. He’ll be fair towards
everyone.
/ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk/
astute
Able to understand and judge a situation or people quickly and use this
knowledge for personal benefit.
He’s an astute businessman; he built his company from the ground up.
Hard-working
/əˈstjuːt/
Diligent and putting a lot of effort and time into one's work.
Sample sentence: Jane's hard-working attitude allowed her to excel in her career and achieve her goals.
ambitious
Having a strong determination to be successful, rich, or powerful.
Amanda completed three internships while she got her law degree; she was an
ambitious student and landed her first job at a top law firm.
/æmˈbɪʃəs/
resourceful
Able to find useful and effective ways of solving problems.
When the catering didn't arrive at the event, Paul ordered some pizzas that
arrived just in time! We didn't realise he could be so resourceful!
/rɪˈzɔː(r)sfəl/
organised
A person who is able to plan things carefully and keep things tidy.
Sally has a diary with details about all her patients. She knows them well and
she’s very organised.
/'ɔ:gənaɪzd/
reliable
Someone who can be trusted to behave well and do what’s expected of them.
The company always asks her to lock up at night, because she’s reliable and
they know that she’ll do it properly.
/rɪˈlaɪəb(ə)l/
efficient
Working quickly and well to produce good results in a short period of time.
Joanne was able to write three articles and publish the online magazine in
just a few hours. She’s extremely efficient.

Surly: Bad-tempered, unfriendly, or rude.

Sample sentence: The surly waiter barely acknowledged our presence and seemed annoyed when we
asked for the menu.

Gullible: Easily deceived or tricked because of being too trusting.

Sample sentence: She was so gullible that she fell for the online scam without questioning its authenticity.

Trustworthy: Reliable and deserving of trust; someone or something you can depend on.
Sample sentence: John is known for being a trustworthy friend who always keeps his promises.

Reticent: Reserved or hesitant to speak openly, often due to shyness or a desire for privacy.
Sample sentence: Sarah is reticent when it comes to discussing her personal life, and she prefers to keep
her thoughts to herself.

Gregarious: Sociable, enjoying the company of others, and being outgoing.

Sample sentence: Mark's gregarious nature made him the life of the party, and he easily made new friends
wherever he went.
Obnoxious: Extremely unpleasant, offensive, or annoying in behavior or attitude.
Sample sentence: The obnoxious child kept disrupting the movie by talking loudly and kicking the seats in
front of him.

Jovial: Cheerful, friendly, and full of high spirits.

Sample sentence: Even on a rainy day, Lisa's jovial personality could brighten anyone's mood with her
infectious laughter.

Insolent: Disrespectful, impolite, or showing a lack of courtesy.

Sample sentence: The student's insolent response to the teacher's question resulted in a detention.

Conscientious: Diligent, thorough, and taking great care to do things correctly.

Sample sentence: Maria is a conscientious worker who always double-checks her work to ensure it meets
the highest standards.

Friendly: Warm, amicable, and inclined to be kind and pleasant to others.

Sample sentence: The friendly neighbor offered to help carry groceries into the house and even invited us
over for dinner.