English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate » Unit 8: Describing people: personality
Choose two people who are important in your life. Describe them using adjectives in this unit and give reasons why you chose each adjective.
EXAMPLE My brother is sociable because he loves being with other people.
| lots of ability | intelligent bright clever sharp shrewd able gifted talented brainy (informal) |
| lacking ability | stupid foolish simple silly brainless daft dumb dim thick (the last four are predominantly informal words, and they can all be offensive) |
| clever, in a negative way, using brains to trick or deceive | cunning crafty sly |
Amal is pessimistic while Nia is optimistic - he always expects the worst to happen while she looks on the bright side.
It is strange that one of the twins is so extroverted while the other is so introverted - Ben loves being the focus of attention while Bill prefers to be alone with his thoughts.
I feel very tense ( or wound up / stressed out**) after a very busy day at work but, after a hot bath and a nice cup of tea, I'll soon feel relaxed.
Jane is very sensible - she'd never do anything stupid. In other words, she's very practical and down-to-earth.
Roberto is very sensitive - he gets very upset (or worked-up, more informal), if he feels people are criticising him.
Enjoying others' company: sociable gregarious*
Disagreeing with others: quarrelsome argumentative
Taking pleasure in others' pain: cruel sadistic
Relaxed in attitude to self and others: easy-going even-tempered laid-back**
Not polite to others: impolite rude ill-mannered discourteous*
Telling the truth to others: honest trustworthy reliable sincere
Unhappy if others have what one does not have oneself: jealous envious
Some characteristics can be either positive or negative depending on your point of view. The words in the right-hand column mean roughly the same as the words in the left-hand column except that they have negative rather than positive connotations.
| positive associations | negative associations |
| determined | obstinate stubborn pig-headed |
| thrifty economical | stingy mean tight-fisted miserly* |
| self-assured confident | self-important arrogant full of oneself** |
| unconventional original | eccentric odd peculiar weird** |
| frank direct open | blunt abrupt brusque curt |
| broad-minded | unprincipled permissive |
| enquiring* | inquisitive nosy** |
| generous | extravagant |
| innocent | naive |
| ambitious | pushy** |
| assertive | aggressive boss ** |
* These words are much more common in written than in spoken English.
** These words are much more common in spoken than in written English.
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