EnglishWords for describing people
- tall [/tɔːl/]
- having a greater than average height
My brother is tall and plays basketball. - curly-haired [/ˌkɜːli ˈheəd/]
- having hair that forms curls
The curly-haired woman is my aunt. - freckles [/ˈfrekəlz/]
- small light-brown spots on the skin
He has freckles across his nose. - slim [/slɪm/]
- thin in an attractive or healthy way
She is slim and wears glasses. - outgoing [/ˌaʊtˈɡəʊɪŋ/]
- friendly and confident with other people
Ben is outgoing and enjoys meeting new people. - thoughtful [/ˈθɔːtfəl/]
- kind and careful about other people’s needs
It was thoughtful of Mia to bring flowers. - reliable [/rɪˈlaɪəbəl/]
- someone you can trust to do what they promise
Carlos is reliable and always arrives on time. - impatient [/ɪmˈpeɪʃənt/]
- annoyed because something is taking too long
My impatient cousin hates waiting in queues. - generous [/ˈdʒenərəs/]
- willing to give time, help, or money to others
Our generous neighbour helped us move house. - shy [/ʃaɪ/]
- nervous or uncomfortable with new people
Ella is shy at first, but she is very friendly. - confident [/ˈkɒnfɪdənt/]
- sure that you can do something well
He feels confident before the presentation. - humorous [/ˈhjuːmərəs/]
- funny and able to make people laugh
Our humorous teacher tells great stories.
My best friend, who is very outgoing, always makes people laugh.
This clause gives extra information about one known person. The commas show this.
The friend who always makes people laugh is very outgoing.
This clause identifies which friend we mean. No commas.
Identify the person, thing, place, time, or possession
Relative word | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
who | people | The woman who lives next door is an artist. |
which | things | The laptop which is on the desk is mine. |
that | people or things | The café that serves vegan food is popular. |
where | places | This is the park where we play football. |
whose | possession | I met a writer whose novels are popular. |
when | time | Friday is the day when we meet. |
Object clause: You can omit the relative pronoun when it is the object.
The film (that) I watched was funny.
Choose the correct relative word
- The woman [___] lives next door is an artist.
- This is the park [___] we play football.
- I met a writer [___] novels are very popular.
Complete the defining clauses
- The laptop [___] is on the desk belongs to my brother.
- Friday is the day [___] we usually meet.
- Combine the sentences: I know a man. He speaks four languages.
I know a man [___] .
- Combine the sentences and omit the object relative pronoun: This is the book. I bought it last week.
This is the book [___] .
- Combine the sentences: We visited a café. It serves excellent vegan food.
We visited a café [___] .
Character notes from a novel
Novel-club character notes: In The Lantern Street, four neighbours meet after a storm. Maya, a tall nurse who carries a torch, checks every flat and remembers Mrs Green’s medicine. Leo, whose coat is always muddy, fixes the broken gate before anyone asks. Priya, who rarely speaks at meetings, notices a frightened child and quietly stays with him until his father arrives. Mr Cole is the retired sailor who tells dramatic stories, but he gives his last dry blanket to a family. The narrator says Maya makes quick decisions, Leo hates leaving jobs unfinished, Priya watches carefully, and Mr Cole enjoys being the centre of attention.
Difficult words
- neighbour — a person who lives near you
- storm — very bad weather with strong wind and rain
- torch — a small electric light you carry
- flat — an apartment
- muddy — covered with wet dirt
- broken gate — a damaged entrance door or barrier
- retired sailor — a person who used to work on ships
- unfinished — not completed
- Match the descriptions to the characters: caring and decisive, practical and reliable, quiet and observant, generous and entertaining.
- Which character helps a frightened child, and what does she do?
- Find one clause with whose. What possession does it describe?
Describe someone you know well
Write 50–90 words about a person you know well.
Include:
- physical appearance
- personality
- at least three defining relative clauses
- who, whose, and that
Useful phrases:
- She is someone who always helps others.
- He is a person whose friends trust him.
- One thing that I admire is his patience.
- She is tall and curly-haired, but she is also thoughtful and reliable.
- He has freckles and a humorous personality that makes people feel relaxed.
Check your paragraph:
- 50–90 words
- appearance and personality included
- who, whose, and that used
- whose followed by a noun
- relative clauses identify the person or thing clearly
