Describing People

Egocentric

  • Definition: Thinking only about oneself without considering others’ feelings or needs.
  • Example: Tom is so egocentric; he always talks about his own problems and never listens to anyone else.

Greedy

  • Definition: Wanting more than is necessary, especially with money or food.
  • Example: She was too greedy and took more than her fair share of the cake.

Stingy

  • Definition: Unwilling to spend money or share resources; miserly.
  • Example: John is very stingy; he never tips when we go to a restaurant.

Narcissistic

  • Definition: Having an excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one’s physical appearance.
  • Example: Sarah’s narcissistic personality makes it hard for her to form meaningful relationships.

Charitable

  • Definition: Willing to help others, especially by giving money, goods, or time.
  • Example: The charitable woman donated a large portion of her income to local shelters.

Obese

  • Definition: Extremely overweight, often to the point of it affecting one’s health.
  • Example: The doctor advised the obese patient to follow a healthier diet and exercise more.

Generous

  • Definition: Willing to give more than necessary, especially in terms of time, money, or kindness.
  • Example: His generous donation helped build a new school in the village.

Curious

  • Definition: Eager to learn or know more about something.
  • Example: Children are naturally curious and ask a lot of questions about the world around them.

Confident

  • Definition: Having a strong belief in one’s abilities or qualities.
  • Example: Maria was confident she would get the job after her successful interview.

Talkative

  • Definition: Liking to talk a lot, especially in a friendly or chatty way.
  • Example: He’s very talkative and always has a story to share at parties.

Ambitious

  • Definition: Having a strong desire to achieve success, power, or wealth.
  • Example: Lena is very ambitious; she plans to become a CEO before she turns 30.

Introverted

  • Definition: Preferring to spend time alone or with a few close friends, rather than being around large groups of people.
  • Example: As an introverted person, Jack enjoys quiet evenings at home with a good book.

Outgoing

  • Definition: Friendly and social; enjoys being with other people.
  • Example: Paul is very outgoing and always makes new friends easily.

Hardworking

  • Definition: Putting in a lot of effort and dedication into work or tasks.
  • Example: The hardworking student stayed up late every night to study for her exams.

Lazy

  • Definition: Unwilling to work or put in effort; avoiding hard work.
  • Example: He’s too lazy to clean his room, even though it’s a complete mess.

Optimistic

  • Definition: Expecting the best possible outcome; having a positive attitude toward the future.
  • Example: Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic that things will get better.

Pessimistic

  • Definition: Expecting the worst possible outcome; having a negative attitude toward the future.
  • Example: He’s always pessimistic and assumes nothing will go well.

Kind

  • Definition: Caring and helpful towards others; friendly and considerate.
  • Example: The kind stranger helped the elderly woman carry her bags.

Selfish

  • Definition: Caring only about one’s own needs or desires, often at the expense of others.
  • Example: It was selfish of him to eat the last piece of cake without asking if anyone else wanted it.

Creative

  • Definition: Having the ability to produce new and original ideas or things.
  • Example: The creative artist painted a mural that captured everyone’s attention.

Arrogant

  • Definition: Having an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities.
  • Example: His arrogant attitude makes it difficult for people to work with him.

Emma’s Casual Look

Emma is a student who loves dressing in casual clothes. She is of average height and has long, straight blonde hair that she usually ties up in a ponytail. Today, she is wearing her favorite blue jeans, a comfortable white t-shirt, and a pair of black sneakers. She also has a small silver necklace as an accessory. Her style is simple but trendy, and she always looks relaxed and confident.

Key Vocabulary:

  • Casual
  • Jeans
  • Sneakers
  • Accessory
  • Trendy
  • Relaxed

Mark’s Formal Style

Mark works in an office, so he usually wears formal clothes. He is tall and has short, dark brown hair. Today, he is wearing a smart black suit with a white shirt and a red tie. His shoes are polished, and he carries a black leather briefcase. Mark’s style is elegant, and he always looks professional when he goes to work.

Key Vocabulary:

  • Formal
  • Suit
  • Tie
  • Polished
  • Elegant
  • Professional

Maria’s Colorful Outfit

Maria is a creative person who loves wearing colorful clothes. She is short and has curly brown hair that frames her face. Today, she is wearing a bright yellow dress with a floral pattern. She has paired it with green sandals and a large sunhat. She also wears big earrings as accessories. Her outfit is fun, and she always looks stylish and unique.

Key Vocabulary:

  • Colorful
  • Floral pattern
  • Sandals
  • Accessories
  • Stylish
  • Unique

Phrasal Verbs for Describing People

Come across as

    • Meaning: To seem or give an impression of being a certain way.
    • Example: She comes across as very confident during meetings.

Get along with

    • Meaning: To have a good relationship with someone.
    • Example: He gets along well with his colleagues.

Look up to

    • Meaning: To admire or respect someone.
    • Example: Many people look up to her for her dedication and kindness.

Open up

    • Meaning: To start to talk more about personal thoughts or feelings.
    • Example: He’s usually quiet, but he opens up when talking about his hobbies.

Put on

    • Meaning: To pretend to be a certain way, often to make an impression.
    • Example: He put on a brave face even though he was nervous.

Show off

    • Meaning: To display or boast about one’s abilities or possessions.
    • Example: She often shows off her new clothes at school.

Back down

    • Meaning: To withdraw or concede in an argument or dispute.
    • Example: He never backs down from a challenge.

Fall behind

    • Meaning: To lag or not keep up with others.
    • Example: She fell behind in her studies after missing a few classes.

Step up

    • Meaning: To take on more responsibility or improve one’s efforts.
    • Example: He stepped up his performance after receiving feedback from his manager.

Act out

    • Meaning: To express emotions or feelings through behavior, often in a disruptive way.
    • Example: The child acts out when he’s feeling stressed.

Break down

    • Meaning: To become emotionally overwhelmed or collapse.
    • Example: She broke down in tears after hearing the sad news.

Calm down

    • Meaning: To become less agitated or excited.
    • Example: He managed to calm down after a few deep breaths.

Bring up

    • Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic or issue.
    • Example: She brought up the idea of a team-building event during the meeting.

Go through

    • Meaning: To experience or endure something, often something difficult.
    • Example: He went through a tough period after his job loss but stayed positive.

Live up to

    • Meaning: To meet expectations or standards.
    • Example: She lived up to her reputation as a hard worker.

Keep up with

    • Meaning: To stay informed about or maintain pace with something.
    • Example: He struggles to keep up with the latest technology trends.

Look down on

    • Meaning: To regard someone as inferior or unworthy.
    • Example: She tends to look down on people who don’t share her opinions.

Put up with

    • Meaning: To tolerate or endure something unpleasant.
    • Example: He puts up with a lot of criticism from his boss.

Take after

    • Meaning: To resemble or have similar characteristics to a family member.
    • Example: She takes after her mother in both appearance and personality.

Come off as

    • Meaning: To be perceived or interpreted in a particular way.
    • Example: He comes off as quite shy, but he’s really very outgoing once you get to know him.