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.