Learn how to describe yourself in simple terms!
We are starting the ‘Vocabulary for Describing People’ series.
At the end of this lesson, you will know how to describe yourself in simple terms.
This ‘Describe Yourself’ lesson will be done 8 Steps. It is better to do 1 Step at a time for better results.
Use a unilingual or bilingual dictionary if you do not understand new vocabulary. You can also check the pronunciation of the words.
It is also a good idea to write down important information to get the most out of this lesson.
Have you got a pen or a pencil and a copybook to take down notes?
Are you ready?
Let’s start!
a) Describe Yourself (Step 1): Basic Information
What should you say when someone asks you to describe yourself? Below are some of the things you can say about yourself.
- My first name is Mary and my surname is Alfonso. I am a girl.
- I am Spanish and I live in Madrid.
- I am seventeen years old but I will turn eighteen next week.
- My eyes are brown and my hair is black, medium-sized and curly.
- I am 165 cm tall./My height is 165 cm.
- I wear size 40 shoes and my clothes’ size is 40 too.
- I am a student.
- I like singing and baking.
- I don’t like skateboarding.
Your turn: Pick five words from the picture and make sentences. Pay attention to spelling.
Now, let’s go to Step 2. It is all about describing your Physical Appearance.
b) Describe Yourself (Step 2): Adjectives for Physical Appearance
When describing yourself, you can also talk about your physical appearance. Are you tall or short? Are you lanky or overweight? Let’s see how you can use these words in a sentence.
Here are a few non-exhaustive examples:
- People say I am obese but I am just overweight.
- My best friend thinks that I’m attractive, though I think that I’m too thin.
- I look very young for my age.
- I can describe myself as muscular. Do you agree with me?
- I’m a middle-aged woman who loves cooking.
- I don’t like the fact that I’m anorexic. I would rather be plump.
- I’m well-built thanks to very good genes.
- I don’t look unattractive or repulsive and that’s the truth!
- I am not as old as you believe.
Your turn: What about making your own sentences? Be very creative!
***
Once you have finished, we can proceed to Step 3. It is about describing your personality.
c) Describe Yourself (Step 3): Personality
We all have different personalities. How would you describe your personality? Are you outspoken or shy? Are you the nervous type? Maybe you are fearless.
Let’s talk about this.
Below are a few examples to help you make your own sentences later on.
- I like being cheerful all the time but some situations make me feel really sad.
- I am optimistic by nature. I don’t picture myself being pessimistic.
- My children think I am easy-going because I am not complicated at all.
- I would like to be brave and courageous so that I can stand up to my bullies.
- I used to be very naughty in my teens but I have recently become more mature.
- I get anxious in public places, so I don’t go out as often.
- I see myself as a calm, funny and friendly person. My enemies think otherwise.
- I’m confident when I’m doing a difficult task. This is why I love public speaking.
Your turn: Make 5 sentences that use some of the vocabulary in the picture. Two of the sentences should have transitional words such as BUT and BECAUSE.
***
Once you are done, we can move on to Step 4. In this step, we describe your character .
d) Describe Yourself (Step 4): Character
We can define character as your mental and moral qualities. Can you define them easily?
Let’s see what we can do.
Below are a few examples.
- I am quite flexible when it comes to money and time.
- I want to be disciplined because lack of discipline brings a lot of problems at school or at work.
- I think that I am honest. Actually, I don’t like dishonest people.
- My boss told me that I am a diligent and conscientious employee. I am happy he said that!
- I can be tolerant towards impatient people but there comes a point when I get fed up. I thus become intolerant to them.
- I’m sometimes stingy because I’m afraid I won’t have enough money for myself to buy things.
Your turn: How can you describe your character? Choose 5 Adjectives in the picture and make sentences. You can do it!
***
Was it difficult? If it was, don’t worry. Maybe you’ll find Step 5 easier. Here we go!
e) Describe Yourself (Step 5): Emotions
Our emotions can sometimes define us as well. How are you feeling now? Happy? Sad? Are you usually short-tempered? Perhaps you are cool.
How can we talk about our emotional state?
Here are a few examples for inspiration.
- I’m often moody when I wake up in the morning.
- I am usually enthusiastic about many situations.
- I don’t feel depressed right now because I do a lot of sports.
- I’m an even-tempered mother and I try to protect my children from emotional turmoil.
- I get frustrated very easily but I’m trying to solve this problem.
- I feel quite dejected because I got fired from work. However, I’m planning to find another job as soon as possible.
- I am happy at the moment since I have excellent grades at school. Last year I was unhappy most of the times because school was tough.
Your turn: What other sentences can you think of? Write them down and read them to someone if you want to.
***
When you are done, we can start Step 6. In this section, you will talk about your hobbies.
Why don’t we start?
f) Describe Yourself (Step 6): What are your hobbies?
What do you like doing in your free time? Are you adventurous or not? Do you like doing indoor or outdoor activities?
What sentences can you make to talk about your hobbies?
Let’s look at a few examples below.
- D.I.Y. projects are fun. I like making different types of projects.
- I used to be addicted to scrapbooking a few years ago. Now I am into sewing.
- Dancing and cooking are some of my favourite hobbies. What about you? What are your hobbies?
- I want to start hiking when summer comes. I think that this is a very healthy outdoor activity.
- I don’t like running because each time I run, I run out of breath.
- Baking is really my favourite hobby. I mean, who doesn’t like eating a nice piece of cake?
- I’m very adventurous so I like roller skating and ice skating. I’m not very good at these activities but, hey, I try must best:-)
- I want to learn how to swim because I don’t like cycling anymore. I get tired very easily nowadays.
Your turn: What else can we write about our hobbies? Think of some interesting sentences and share them with your friends or family.
***
I am sure you had a lot of things to say. Now that you are done, we can move on to Step 7. It is about jobs and occupations.
g) Describe Yourself (Step 7): Jobs and occupations.
Jobs and occupations are also part of our identity. A nurse is different from an engineer and a content creator has nothing to do with a firefighter. What is your job or occupation and how do they define you?
Have a look at the above picture once again. Is your job featured? Can you talk about your job or your occupation?
Below are a few examples:
- I have been working as a web developer since 2015. This job is challenging and rewarding at the same time.
- My father wants me to be a doctor but I would rather be a nurse. I think that nurses are closer to patients.
- I want to be a graphic designer for this is really an interesting and creative job.
- When I was young, I wanted to be a lawyer to defend the weak. Now, I would like to be a police officer so that I can catch criminals.
- People say that I’m funny so I would like to become a comedian in the future.
- I work as an accountant for an accountable and reliable firm.
- I’m a writer because I love reading and writing. I mainly write poems and short stories.
Your turn: As usual, make 5 sentences (or maybe more!) using words from the picture. Be as creative as possible and use transition words such as NEVERTHELESS, PROVIDING THAT, INDEED, etc.
***
In Step 8, we will be talking about dreams and ambitions.
h) Describe yourself (Step 8): Dreams and ambitions
What would you like to do or become in your lifetime? Can your dreams be realised or are they far-fetched?
How can you talk about your dreams or ambitions easily?
Let’s look at a few examples below.
- I will be the happiest person on earth if I meet my favourite actress. Her name is Anne Hathaway.
- I want to have a lot of followers on Instagram and be a famous social media influencer.
- I dream to get a better job. I’m currently in a dead-end job.
- I would love to transform my community by working on meaningful projects.
- I’m good at dancing so I would like to open a dancing school if I get enough funding.
- I would like to get married to a rich and well-known singer in my wildest dreams;-)
- My ambition is to go to Oxford or Havard to study law so that I can become a well-trained lawyer who can efficiently defend people.
Your turn: What are your dreams or ambitions? Make a 5 sentences to talk about them. Make sure that your sentences are well-developed.
***
Well done! Congratulations for coming so far! You will soon have a good rest.
This was the last step in our ‘Describe Yourself’ lesson. What did you like the most?
Remember that unilingual and bilingual dictionaries are your best friends. Check new words and practise your pronunciation. It is also a good idea to record yourself and make someone hear your recording. You can do so many things in English!
Well, it was nice to have you around.
Until next time!
Bonus Vocabulary:
Further Exploration: Describe yourself
Download Worksheets:
- Vocabulary for Describing Yourself: Lesson 1-Describe Yourself in Simple Terms (with examples!)
- Talk About Your Hobbies, Different Types of Hobbies, Learn English With Africa
Read:
- Vocabulary for Describing Hospitals (with examples!), Learn English With Africa, October 2018
- Vocabulary for Describing Schools (with examples!), Learn English With Africa, September 2018
- Vocabulary for Describing Africa, Learn English With Africa, October 2016
Watch:
