Describing People — Unit 4, Beginner English
Height, build, face, hair, age, character — and useful expressions for talking about people.
Reading: My Best Friend
My best friend is Ana. She is from Spain. She is very tall. She is 1.75 metres. I am short. I am 1.55 metres. Ana is slim. She is not fat or overweight. She does a lot of exercise. She runs every morning and she swims at the weekend. She has beautiful curly hair. Her hair is dark brown and very long. I have straight hair.
Ana is very friendly. She is always smiling and she talks to everyone. When we go to a party, Ana knows everyone in the room. She is very confident. She is not shy at all. She speaks in front of people and she is not nervous. She gives good presentations at school.
I am not like Ana. I am shy. I don't like talking to new people. I am not confident. Ana helps me. She says, "Be confident! You are a nice person."
I am very happy to have Ana as my best friend. She is tall, slim, friendly, and confident. I want to be more like her.
Ana's family is in Madrid. Her father is middle-aged. He is bald and he has a short beard. He is a bit overweight, but he is very hardworking. He works in a hospital six days a week. Her mother is in her forties. She has red hair and freckles. People say Ana looks like her mother, but Ana's hair is dark brown.
Ana also has a little brother. He is only nine years old. He is short and thin. He has spiky hair and green eyes. He is very funny and he makes everybody laugh.
Next year Ana wants to be a teacher. I think she will be a good teacher, because she is patient and organised. She is never late and she always finishes her homework. I am not organised at all!
Vocabulary from this unit
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tall | above average height | He's 1 metre 80 tall. |
| short | below average height | She's quite short. |
| medium height | not tall, not short | He's medium height. |
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| slim | thin in an attractive way | She's very slim. |
| thin | not much fat (can sound negative) | He's very thin. |
| average build | normal weight | She has an average build. |
| overweight | heavier than is healthy | The doctor said he's overweight. |
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| long / short / medium-length | length |
| straight | no curls |
| curly | with tight curls |
| wavy | gentle waves |
| spiky | sticks up |
| blonde / fair | light yellow |
| dark brown / black | darker shades |
| red / auburn | orange-red tones |
| grey / white | usually older people |
| bald | no hair |
5 more vocabulary sections in the full unit.
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Beginner — roughly CEFR A0–A1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.