When we describe people, we often start with their physical appearance. Here are some common features we can describe:
Height
- tall – above average height
- medium height – average height
- short – below average height
Examples:
- My brother is very tall.
- She is of medium height.
- My grandmother is quite short.
Build/Body Type
- slim – thin in an attractive way
- thin – not fat
- athletic – strong and physically fit
- average build – normal body type
- overweight – heavier than is healthy
- muscular – having well-developed muscles
Examples:
- The model has a slim figure.
- My cousin has an athletic build because he plays sports.
- My uncle is slightly overweight.
Age
- young – having lived for a short time
- middle-aged – between about 40 and 60 years old
- elderly – old or aging
- in his/her twenties – between 20-29 years old
- in his/her thirties – between 30-39 years old
Examples:
- My sister is young; she’s only ten years old.
- Our teacher is middle-aged.
- My neighbor is elderly and needs help with her groceries.
- She’s in her twenties.
Hair
Hair Color
- blonde – yellow or golden hair
- brunette – dark brown hair
- red – reddish-orange hair
- black – very dark hair
- grey/gray – hair that has lost its color due to age
- white – hair with no color
Hair Length & Style
- long – hair that extends far down
- short – hair cut close to the head
- medium-length – neither long nor short
- straight – hair with no curves or bends
- curly – hair that forms spirals or loops
- wavy – hair with gentle bends (between straight and curly)
- bald – having no or very little hair
Examples:
- She has long blonde hair.
- My father has short grey hair.
- The boy has curly black hair.
- My uncle is bald.
Facial Features
Eyes
- blue eyes
- brown eyes
- green eyes
- hazel eyes – eyes that are partly brown and partly green or blue
- big eyes
- small eyes
Other Facial Features
- beard – hair that grows on a man’s chin and cheeks
- mustache – hair that grows on a man’s upper lip
- freckles – small brown spots on the skin
- glasses – devices worn to correct vision
- scar – a mark left on the skin after an injury
Examples:
- My friend has beautiful blue eyes.
- My grandfather has a long white beard.
- She has freckles on her nose and cheeks.
- He wears glasses because he can’t see well.
Personality Traits
We also describe people by their character or personality:
- friendly – kind and pleasant
- shy – nervous or uncomfortable with other people
- outgoing – sociable, enjoying being with others
- intelligent – smart, quick to learn
- hardworking – putting effort into tasks
- lazy – not wanting to work or be active
- kind – gentle, caring, and helpful
- serious – not joking or smiling much
- funny – making others laugh
- creative – good at making or thinking of new things
- patient – able to stay calm and not get annoyed
- impatient – easily annoyed by waiting or delays
Examples:
- My best friend is very friendly and outgoing.
- Our math teacher is intelligent but serious.
- My little brother can be lazy sometimes.
- My aunt is very kind and patient with children.
Putting It All Together
When describing someone, we usually start with general information (age, height, build) and then mention specific details (hair, eyes, special features). After that, we might describe their personality.
Example descriptions:
My teacher is a tall, middle-aged woman with short blonde hair and glasses. She has blue eyes and always wears colorful clothes. She is very patient and kind with all her students.
My friend Tom is a young man in his twenties. He is of medium height with an athletic build. He has short brown hair and green eyes. Tom has a small scar on his chin from a childhood accident. He is outgoing and funny, always making jokes.
My grandmother is an elderly woman who is rather short. She has medium-length grey hair that she usually keeps in a bun. She has kind brown eyes and often wears glasses. She is extremely patient and creative, and loves to tell stories about her youth.
Common Sentence Patterns
Here are some useful sentence patterns for describing people:
He/She is + adjective.
- She is tall.
- He is friendly.
He/She has + noun phrase.
- She has blue eyes.
- He has a beard.
He/She has + adjective + noun.
- She has long blonde hair.
- He has big brown eyes.
He/She is + adjective + and + adjective.
- She is kind and patient.
- He is tall and athletic.
Now practice what you’ve learned with the exercises below!
Practice Games
Lesson Practice
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