Describing peoples physical appearance There are many different ways of describing peoples physical appearance, here are

some of the most common: Heightand build Height When we talk about peoples height, we can talk about how tall they are in feet and inches or metres and centimet res, or we can talk about it in more general terms using certain adjectives. Look at these examples: Howtall is Savannah? Savannah is 5 foot 10 inchestall. Howtall is Jennifer? Jennifer is 4 foot 11 inchestall.

Savannah is tall. Do not make this mistake: Savannah is very high.

Jennifer is short. Do not make this mistake: Jennifer is very low.

Note that we often use very, not very, quite before these adjectives: Liams not very tall, about 1 m 60 cm. Jessica is quite tall, about 5 6 or 5 7, I think.

If someone is neither tall nor short, we say that they are mediumor averageheight . I would say that Toms about averageheight .

Build As with height, when we talk about peoples weight, we can talk about how much they weigh in stones and pounds or in kilos , or we can talk about it in more general terms using certain adjectives. Look at these examples: Howmuchdoes Bob weigh ? weighs9 stone . Howmuchdoes Pete weigh ? Bob Pete weighs16 stone .

Bob is slim . Also: thin, skinny. Do not make this mistake: Bob is light.

Pete is overweight . Also: stout, plump, chubby, fat, obese. Do not make this mistake: Pete is heavy.

(We only use these adjectives about people if we pick them up in our arms.)

Note that we often use very, not very, quite before most of these adjectives:

Michelle is quite slim. James is very fat.

However, with overweight we use a little / a bit or really:

Patricia is really overweight. In fact, shes enormous. Lisa is a bit overweight; she needs to lose four or five pounds.

Note that the adjectives thin and skinny are nega tive words as are fat and obese, which can also be considered impolite.

If someone is neither fat nor thin but is quite broad and muscula r, we can say that he is well- built or stocky . (If the person was a woman, we would usually say that she is stocky or muscular, not well-built.)

Hair, featu res andcomplexion Hair Typeof hair

Shes got long , wavy hair.

Hes got short, curly hair.

Shes got shoulde r- length , straight hair.

Hes got a recedinghairline. Hes goingbald.

Hes bald .

Hes got thick hair. Hair colour

Shes got fine hair.

Hes dark. dark hair.

Hes fair. Hes got fair hair.

Shes blond e. Hes got Shes got blondehair.

Shes red-haired . got red hair.

Hes ginge r-haired . Hes got gingerhair.

Shes got aubu rn hair. Shes

Hes got grey hair. His hairs gonegrey.

Shes got whitehair.

Hairstyles

Hes got a crewcut.

Shes got extensions .

Shes got a fringe.

Hes got dreadlocks .

Shes got a perm.

Shes got a side parting.

She wears a wig.

Featu res When we refer to someones featu res, we usually refer to a part of their face that makes them distinctive from other people. Look at these examples:

Nose Big, small, long, wide, hooked, turned-up

Eyes Big, small, blue, green, brown, hazel Also: bushy / thin eyebrows

Mouth Big, small Also: full / thin lips

beard

moustache

sticky-out ears

dimples

wrinkles

John has big blue eyes , a beard and a moustach e. Diana has a lot of wrinkles . Katies daughter has two lovely dimpleswhen she smiles. Complexion When we refer to someones complexion , we usually refer to the colou r, texture and appearanceof their skin. Look at these examples: Colour

Shes fair-skinned .

Shes olive-skinned .

Shes dark-skinned .

These adjectives refer to peoples natural skin colour. However, often peoples skin colour can change depending on if they have been in the sun or depending on how they are feeling:

Shes tanned . Shes got a tan.

Hes very pale.

Shes red in the face.

Shes blushing .

Hes got rosy cheeks .

Textu re andappea rance

Shes got spots/ acne . Age

Hes got liver spots.

Shes got freckles .

We can use the adjectives old and youngto talk about peoples ages, but we can also give an approximation of someones age by using the following structures:

teenstwentiesthirties forties fifties sixtiesseventieseighties Im in my Hes in his Shes in her Were in our Youre in your Theyre in their late mid early nineties

Im in my thirties .

Im between 30 and 39 years old.

Shes in her early thirties. Shes between about 30 and 33 years old. Hes in his midthirties. Hes between about 34 and 36 years old.

Theyre in their late thirties.Theyre between about 37 and 39 years old.

Opinion
Shes got Hes got Hes Shes She has a lovely nice

Size
short long medium

Physicaldescription Shape Age

straight young

Colour
fairish black

Noun
hair hair man height smile

charming

When we write morethantwo adjectives we separate them with comma s: She has gorgeous , long, wavy, auburnhair. We do not separate the final adjective and the noun with a comma: She has gorgeous , long, wavy, auburn , hair.

Describing general appearance When we talk about someones appearance, often, what we are referring to is our opinion about the way that person dresses and whether he or she is attractive or not. Here, then, are some useful adjectives to talk about someones general appearance: Menand women elegant Positive smart well-dressed scruffy Negative untidy-looking good-looking attractive Attractiveness gorgeous ugly handsome beautiful pretty Menonly Womenonly -

Shannon is always very welldressed .

Jacob likes to look a bit scruffy. He thinks it makes him look cool.

Did you see Brad Pitt in the film last night? He was gorgeous . Describing peoples character Just as there are many different ways of describing peoples physical appearance, so there are many different ways of describing their character and personality. Here are some of the most common: Social qualities We often describe someones character basing our opinion on how they react or behave when they are with other people. Look at these adjectives:
Friendly Sociable Outgoing Used to describe people who are open and who enjoy other peoples company. Useful opposites: Unfriendly, unsociable, shy Polite Well-mannered

Used to describe people who are courteous with others. Useful opposites: Impolite, bad-mannered, rude

Easy-going Laid-back Even-tempered Honest Reliable Trustworth y

Used to describe people who are relaxed and do not like to argue with others. Useful opposites: Uptight, argumentative, bad-tempered, stubborn, opinionated

Used to describe people that we can depend upon and who tell the truth. Useful opposites: Dishonest, unreliable, untrustworthy

Ken is the friendliest person I know. He introduced himself to everyone at the party last night, even to Helens grandmother. He told me to get lost. Honestly, Ive never met anyone so rude in my life! Dont talk about politics with Jeffery. Hes very opinionatedand argumentative ; hes sure to make you angry. Intellect We can also base our description of someone on their intellect. Look at these adjectives:
Intelligent Clever Bright Gifted Talented Knowledgeable Shrew d Astute Used to talk about peoples intellectual capacities.

Used to talk about people who have specific abilities or know a lot about different subjects.

Used to talk about people who show good judgement and who are difficult to deceive. Useful opposites: Stupid, brainless, untalented, foolish

Katie is a very bright little girl. She can already read and write and shes only three. Michael is a wonderful pianist. Hes really gifted . Youll never fool him; hes very shrewd . Hell see through your all excuses immediately.

Outlookon life Another way of describing someone is to describe their attitude towards life. Look at these adjectives:
Sensible Down-to-earth Used to describe people who act in a practical, rational and reasonable way. Useful opposites: silly, irrational, eccentric Hard-working Energetic Used to describe people who are active and work hard. Useful opposites: lazy, lethargic

Optimistic

Used to describe people who expect good things to happen and who always see things in a positive manner. Useful opposites: pessimistic

Unconventional Original

Used to describe people who are different from the rest. Useful opposites: conventional, unoriginal, ordinary

Broad-minded Tolerant

Used to describe people who are open to different ideas and cultures. Useful opposites: narrow-minded, intolerant, bigoted

I think you can trust your daughter to go out with her friends. Shes very sensible . Sheila is optimisti c and Johns pessimisti c. Sheila always sees the glass halffull whereas John always sees it half-empty. My father was very broad-minded and taught me to be tolerant with all kinds of people, not only those people that I like.

A word aboutto looklike andto be like To looklike What doeshe look like? When someone asks us this question, they are referring to a persons physical appearance . We usually answer this question using the verb to be or the verb have got to talk about that persons physical characteristics. Look at the example:

A: Whatdoeshe look like? B: Oh, hes in his fifties; hes got a recedinghairline; not very tall; quite ordinary, in fact. Who doeshe look like? When someone asks you this question, they are asking you to tell them who a person resemble s. They are expecting you to compare this person with another; perhaps with a member of his family, etc. A: Whodoeshe look like? B: Oh, I think he lookslike his brother. Hes got the samesmile and the samebig blueeyes. To be like What is he like? When someone asks us this question, they are usually referring to a persons characte r, but it can also refer to their physicalappearanceas well. Look at these examples: A: Whatsyour newbosslike? B: I dont know. I havent really spoken to him. He seems quite friendly and easy-going though.A: Whatsyour newbosslike? B: Oh, hes gorgeous . Hes tall, dark and handsome . Its going to be difficult to concentrate on my work from now on! Who is he like? When someone asks you this question, they are asking you to tell them who a person resembles as far as their character or personality is concerned. Again, they are expecting you to compare this person with another. A: Whois Jameslike? B: Oh, I think hes like his brother. Hes got that same optimistic outlook on life.