Describing People — Easy English Conversation

Transcript

Introduction

A: Today we’re describing people — what somebody looks like, what they’re like, and how to point one person out in a crowded room.

B: You’ll learn how to talk about height and age without sounding rude, five useful personality words, and why “look like” and “be like” are not the same question.

A: Listen for six of them: average height, in his thirties, good-looking, easy-going, down to earth, and the one in the blue jacket.

B: After that, six short practice questions for a quick review, so you can answer out loud.

A: You can practice today’s phrases in Recursio — link in the description.

Height, age, and hair

B: Let’s start with three common details, and three places learners slip.

A: Height, I assume, is the easy one.

B: The words are easy. The trap is what you do when somebody is neither tall nor short.

A: I usually say “normal height”, and I can hear that it’s wrong.

B: It’s understandable, but the natural phrase is average height.

A: “She’s about average height.”

B: And notice “about”. Nobody measures. “About average height”, “quite tall”, “a bit short” — English likes a soft edge on this.

A: Is “short” rude?

B: It can land as blunt, depending on the person and the tone. “Not very tall” is the softer version if you’re unsure.

A: How do I ask about height in the first place?

B: “How tall is he?” — and the answer is usually a comparison, not a number. “About my height.” “A bit taller than you.”

A: In centimeters or feet?

B: That depends where you are, and it’s a good reason to stay with the comparison. “About average height” works in any country.

A: And build? What about body shape?

B: Words such as slim and well-built are common — “well-built” usually means strong or muscular — but descriptions of body size can feel personal. “Skinny” often sounds critical.

A: And if I only need to identify someone?

B: Use clothes, hair, glasses, or position when you can. If body size is not relevant, you can simply leave it out.

A: Now age. This is the one I get wrong every time.

B: Because many languages say “he has thirty-five years”. English uses “be”: he is thirty-five.

A: And if I don’t know the exact number?

B: Then you use the decade. In his thirties.

A: “He’s in his thirties.”

B: You can narrow it — in his early thirties, in his mid-thirties, in his late thirties. Early is roughly thirty to thirty-three, mid is thirty-four to thirty-six, late is thirty-seven to thirty-nine.

A: That’s useful, because guessing an exact age out loud is risky.

B: It is, and the decade version is a common way to say it.

A: Does it work for twenties?

B: Twenties, forties, fifties — all of them. Teens work too: “she’s in her teens.”

A: And for somebody clearly older?

B: “He’s in his seventies” works the same way. If you don’t want to guess at all, “an older man” or “an older woman” can be a neutral description.

A: What about children?

B: There you go back to the number: “She’s six.” There’s no decade to use yet.

A: Fair.

B: And one thing on age: how direct you can be varies a lot by country and by how well you know somebody. “How old is he?” about a third person is usually fine. “How old are you?” to somebody you’ve just met can feel intrusive in a lot of English-speaking settings, so if you’re not sure, don’t.

A: Now hair.

B: Hair is often easy to describe with one or two words: curly hair.

A: “She has curly hair.”

B: Or “She’s got curly hair” — same meaning, and “has got” is very common in speech.

A: And the other types?

B: Straight, wavy, curly. Long, short, shoulder-length. And colors: dark, blond, red, gray.

A: Can I stack them all together?

B: You can, and there’s an order English prefers: length, then shape, then color. “Long curly brown hair.”

A: What if I get the order wrong?

B: People will understand you. But “brown curly long hair” is the kind of thing that makes a sentence sound translated, and the order costs nothing to learn.

A: What if someone has little or no hair?

B: “He’s bald” is a direct description. Some people use it comfortably, but others may not want their hair discussed. “He’s going bald” means he is gradually losing his hair.

A: So I don’t always need to mention it.

B: Right. If the detail is not useful, leave it out. Clothes or position may be clearer.

A: And facial hair?

B: A beard, a mustache — moustache with an O-U in British English — and “stubble” for a few days without shaving. “He’s got a beard” is the everyday sentence.

A: One more. Is “fringe” the word?

B: In British English, yes. In American English it’s “bangs” — “She’s got bangs.” Worth recognizing both.

A: The two dialects really do split on hair.

B: They split on a lot of clothing and body words. When a word has two versions, we teach the American one first and name the other, so you recognize it when it comes.

Faces and first impressions

A: What’s next after height, age, and hair?

B: The face, and here two everyday phrases do most of the work. The first is about glasses.

A: “He wears glasses.”

B: To wear glasses. Present simple, because it’s a habit, not what’s happening right now.

A: What about right now?

B: “He’s wearing glasses” — that’s this moment. Both are correct, and they answer different questions.

A: So “he wears glasses” is a fact about him, and “he’s wearing glasses” is what I can see today.

B: That’s the distinction, and it’s the same for any clothing.

A: And the general word for attractive?

B: Good-looking. It can describe a person of any gender.

A: “He’s a good-looking guy.”

B: There are more specific words — handsome leans male, pretty and beautiful lean female — but “good-looking” doesn’t ask you to choose.

A: Is it always fine to say?

B: Not always. Calling somebody good-looking can feel personal, especially at work or when you don’t know them well. Workplace norms differ. In a casual conversation about someone you know, it may be completely ordinary.

A: Fair enough. And describing how someone seems today?

B: To look tired means to appear tired. This phrase is very common.

A: “You look tired.”

B: Careful with that one said directly to a person. Depending on tone and how well you know them, it can sound like concern or like criticism.

A: What’s the safer version?

B: “Are you okay? You look a bit tired.” The “a bit” softens it, and the question puts them in control of the answer.

A: And “look” can go with anything?

B: With many adjectives, yes. You look well, you look happy, you look busy.

A: What about eyes?

B: Blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes — and the sentence is “she has blue eyes”, not “her eyes are blue color”.

A: That’s a translation trap.

B: A common one. Drop the word “color” and it’s fine — “her eyes are blue” works too. The color word alone is enough: green eyes, gray eyes, dark eyes.

A: What about looking similar to somebody?

B: Then it’s to look like someone, with “like” in the middle.

A: “She looks like her mother.”

B: “What does she look like?” asks about her physical appearance. “What is she like?” asks about her personality or general character.

A: And “She looks like her mother”?

B: That means their appearance is similar. “She is like her mother” means their character or behavior is similar.

A: Is there a third similar question?

B: Yes. “What does she like?” asks about her interests.

A: The three questions look similar, but their verb patterns give them three different meanings.

B: Say them out loud a few times and the difference starts to stick.

What they’re like

A: Before the personality words — if you want these to stay with you, save them in Recursio, it brings them back on a schedule. So, what are the words?

B: Five that carry a lot, and none of them is “nice”.

A: I say “nice” about everybody.

B: Many learners do, and it tells the listener very little. Start with easy-going. It describes someone relaxed, not easily annoyed, and unlikely to make problems out of small things.

A: “My boss is really easy-going.”

B: It’s usually a compliment.

A: What about someone who enjoys meeting new people?

B: Outgoing describes someone comfortable with new people and happy to start conversations.

A: “She’s very outgoing.”

B: It isn’t the same as friendly. Friendly means warm toward people; outgoing means comfortable approaching them. A person can be friendly and still quiet.

A: That’s a distinction I’ve never had words for.

B: And there’s a useful word for the other end: reserved. It means quiet with new people, and unlike “shy” it doesn’t suggest nervousness.

A: So reserved is the polite version of shy?

B: Not exactly. Reserved focuses on how someone behaves, while shy often suggests discomfort or nervousness.

A: Now the fourth word.

B: Down to earth describes someone practical, modest, and easy to talk to.

A: “He’s a famous chef, but he’s very down to earth.”

B: It’s often used when someone is successful but still approachable.

A: And the last one?

B: A good sense of humor means someone enjoys jokes and can see the funny side of things.

A: “She’s got a good sense of humor.”

B: Note the spelling — humor in American English, humour in British. You need the whole phrase: a good sense of humor. Not “she has good humor” or “she’s very humor.” The word is “sense.”

A: Is it about telling jokes?

B: More about finding things funny and not taking yourself too seriously.

A: What if I want to say something less positive without being harsh?

B: English has a softener for exactly that: “He can be a bit…” — “He can be a bit direct.” “She can be a bit disorganized.”

A: “Can be” makes it sometimes instead of always.

B: And “a bit” makes it small. It’s still a criticism — it just doesn’t land like an accusation.

A: That’s a phrase I’ll use more than any adjective.

B: It’s a very useful one.

A: And if I want to be careful about a first impression?

B: Use “seem”. He seems nice.

A: So “seems” means I’m not sure yet.

B: It means you’re describing the impression, not making a claim. “She seems friendly”, “He seemed a bit nervous” — you’re leaving room to be wrong.

Asking, and pointing someone out

A: We’ve described people. How do I ask somebody else to?

B: The open question is: Can you describe him?

A: “I’ve never met her. Can you describe her?”

B: It asks for whatever details seem useful. If you want only physical appearance, “What does she look like?” is the narrower question.

A: And the completely different question is “What is she like?”

B: Personality. Same two questions from the family episode, and this is where they come back.

A: Now the practical one. I’m at a party and somebody says “That’s Daniel over there.”

B: And you can’t tell which person they mean. So they identify him by what he’s wearing: the one in the blue jacket.

A: “Which one is Daniel?” “The one in the blue jacket.”

B: It’s a pattern, not a fixed sentence. The one in the red dress. The one with the beard. The one standing by the window.

A: So “in” for clothes, “with” for features?

B: That’s the everyday split. In the blue jacket, in the red dress; with the beard, with curly hair. And “the one standing by the door” when position is the clearest thing.

A: What if there are two people in blue jackets?

B: Then you add one more thing. “The one in the blue jacket, next to the window.” People stack these until the person is clear, and then they stop.

A: Is there a version for somebody far away?

B: “Over there” carries most of it. “He’s over there, by the door.” And if they still can’t see: “The tall one.”

A: That’s short.

B: Short is fine. You only need enough to find the person.

A: Which details are safest if I only need to identify someone?

B: Start with clothes and position. They are usually clear and neutral. Details such as body size, skin color, or a disability may sometimes be relevant, but context and word choice matter.

A: So I use only the detail I need.

B: Exactly. Use respectful, neutral language, and never turn a description into a judgment. Pointing directly at someone can feel rude in some settings, so a short verbal description is often more natural.

A: Let’s try all of it out loud.

Practice and quick review

B: Six short questions. I’ll give you the situation, and you answer out loud in the gap.

A: Ready.

B: A friend asks what your new colleague looks like. He’s not tall, not short, and he wears glasses. What do you say?

A: He’s about average height, and he wears glasses.

B: Good. “About” and the present simple — both natural.

A: Next.

B: You don’t know your neighbor’s exact age, but he’s clearly between thirty and forty. How do you describe his age?

A: He’s in his thirties.

B: And if you want to be more exact without guessing a number, “in his mid-thirties”.

A: One more.

B: Your manager is relaxed, doesn’t get annoyed easily, and makes people laugh. How do you describe her?

A: She’s really easy-going, and she’s got a good sense of humor.

B: Two of today’s phrases, and a much better answer than “she’s nice”.

A: Next.

B: You’re at a party. Your brother is wearing a green sweater by the window. Which one is he?

A: The one in the green sweater, by the window.

B: Perfect. Clothing first, position second — that’s the usual order when you use both.

A: Next.

B: You met a man briefly, and he was pleasant. How do you describe your first impression without claiming to know him well?

A: He seems nice.

B: “Seems” does the whole job. You’ve given your impression and you haven’t promised anything.

A: Last one.

B: A colleague is quiet with new people and very good at her job. How do you describe her fairly?

A: She’s quite reserved, and she’s really good at what she does.

B: “Reserved” describes how she is with new people, and “and” keeps the two facts neutral.

Outro

A: Today’s phrases: average height, in his thirties, to wear glasses, good-looking, to look tired, to look like someone, easy-going, outgoing, reserved, down to earth, a good sense of humor, He seems nice, Can you describe him?, and the one in the blue jacket.

B: Fourteen phrases — and the last chapter gives you a useful pattern for many “Which one is he?” situations.

A: Open the link below and practice them in Recursio.

B: See you in the next one.