Unit 5: Describing people

A ‣ Height /haɪt/ and weight /weɪt/

Bettina Schwenke is a very tall woman.

Tom Jakes is quite short.

If you aren’t tall or short, you are of medium height.

Agata Sanchez is really slim.

I was very thin when I was in hospital. [slim is more polite than thin]

The doctor said I am overweight. [weigh too much]

Their cat is very fat. It needs to go on a diet.

B ‣ Face and head

Suri has dark skin and dark hair. She has brown eyes.

Polly has blonde (or fair) hair and fair skin. She has blue eyes.

Ben has a beard and long hair. He has green eyes.

Luca has a moustache /mυˈstɑːʃ/ and short hair.

You can also use has got, for example, Suri has got dark hair and dark skin.

My mother is a very beautiful woman. [very pretty]

My dad’s a very good-looking man.

My sister is pretty. (usually girls / women only)

Bob’s an ugly man. [ugly = the opposite of beautiful or good-looking]

I’m not ugly or beautiful, I’m just average-looking!

C ‣ Age

My grandmother is 97. She’s very old. My sister is 14. She’s young, but would like to be older. My father is 56.

He’s middle-aged, but would like to be younger!

This hospital is for elderly people. (more polite than old)

D ‣ Expressions

A: How tall is Bettina / Tom?
B: She’s 1.85 metres tall. / He’s 1.48 metres tall.

A: How heavy are you? / How much do you weigh?
B: I weigh 62 kilos / 74 kilos, etc.

A: How old is he?
B: He’s 84.

A: What does Gemma / your sister look like?
B: She’s tall and dark. She’s very pretty.