This document provides vocabulary for describing a person's physical appearance, including their height, build, age, ethnicity, facial features like nose and eyes, hair, and clothes. It also lists words to describe someone's character or personality, such as ambitious, cheerful, stubborn, shy, or two-faced. Learners are instructed to choose a celebrity and describe them to a partner using the vocabulary lists for appearance and character.

1. NA1
Describing people
TASK: Choose a celebrity. Work in pairs and take turns to describe
the person you’ve chosen to your partner. Use the lists below to
describe his/her appearance or what s/he looks like.
Height Build Age
tall, tallish,
short,
shortish,
medium
height, he’s
long-legged
frail, stocky, slim, thin, plump, fat, skinny,
they are just bones, well-built, to have a six
pack, lanky, petite, stocky, curvy, chubby,
slender, he’s got a pot/beer belly, bony
person, muscular, average build, obese,
stout
young, elderly,
middle-aged,
teenager, in
his/her 20s, 30s,
40s, he must be
thirtyish
Ethnic
origin
Caucasian/White, Asian, Arabian, African-
American, Latin-American, American-Indian,
Indian
Nose:
hooked, turned-
up, pointed, flat
Face Eyes Hair Clothes
round, oval,
square, with
scars, wrinkles,
freckles, sun-
tanned, pale, he’s
got a double
chin, she’s thin-
faced, clean-
shaven, tanned,
freckled, wrinkled
face, with
dimples, with a
birth mark
big, round,
blue, large,
small, bright,
narrow,
almond-
shaped,
slanting eyes,
bulging eyes,
cross-eyed,
with bushy
eyebrows
bald, straight, curly, spiky,
wavy, receding
dyed, with dreadlocks,
goatee, sideburns, ponytail,
a pigtail, medium/shoulder-
length, crew cut, she has
brownish hair, fringe,
permed hair, a parting, bun,
dandruff, a wig, streaks,
highlights, untidy, unruly,
greasy
casual,
scruffy,
shabby,
smart,
tidy,
messy

2. Describing Character - What's he like? Is she
nice?
TASK: Use the words below to describe what your friends, family and teachers are like.
Dull
Boring
Imaginative
Ambitious
Crafty
Sensitive
Gentle
Naïve
Bad/good-tempered
Tight-fisted
careful
active
hard-working
worried
cheerful
broad-minded
narrow-minded
curious
secretive
self-centred
Aggressive
Tough
Careless
Practical
Sensible
Independent
strong-minded
determined
laid-back
easy-going
Generous
Loyal
self-controlled
moody
trusting
modest
tolerant
friendly
two-faced
Energetic
confident
selfish
Shy
stubborn
reliable
clumsy
intelligent
strong-willed