Lesson 01: Describing People

Topic: Appearance (Външен вид) · Auxiliary Verbs: BE, HAVE, WILL
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Describing People: Word Bank

Key vocabulary with IPA pronunciation. Click 🔊 to hear the word.

Age

Young/jʌŋ/Млад
Teenager/ˈtiːnˌeɪ.dʒər/Тийнейджър
Middle-aged/ˌmɪd.əlˈeɪdʒd/На средна възраст
Elderly/ˈel.də.li/Възрастен (учтиво)
Toddler/ˈtɒd.lər/Прохождащо дете

Build & Height

Slim/slɪm/Слабичък
Thin/θɪn/Слаб
Plump/plʌmp/Пълен
Overweight/ˌəʊ.vəˈweɪt/С наднормено тегло
Muscular/ˈmʌs.kjə.lər/Мускулест
Medium height/ˈmiː.di.əm haɪt/Среден ръст
Broad shoulders/brɔːd ˈʃəʊl.dərz/Широки рамене

Skin & Complexion

Pale/peɪl/Блед
Tanned/tænd/С тен
Fair skin/feər skɪn/Светла кожа
Dark skin/dɑːk skɪn/Тъмна кожа

Face & Features

Round face/raʊnd feɪs/Кръгло лице
Oval face/ˈəʊ.vəl feɪs/Овално лице
Freckles/ˈfrek.əlz/Лунички
Wrinkles/ˈrɪŋ.kəlz/Бръчки
Dimples/ˈdɪm.pəlz/Трапчинки
Scar/skɑːr/Белег
Mole/məʊl/Бенка
Beard/bɪəd/Брада
Moustache/məˈstɑːʃ/Мустак

Hair

Curly/ˈkɜː.li/Къдрава
Wavy/ˈweɪ.vi/Вълниста
Straight/streɪt/Права
Bald/bɔːld/Плешив
Fringe/frɪndʒ/Бретон
Ponytail/ˈpəʊ.ni.teɪl/Конска опашка
Bun/bʌn/Кок
Spiky/ˈspaɪ.ki/Настръхнала
Blonde/blɒnd/Руса
Ginger/ˈdʒɪn.dʒər/Рижава
Brunette/bruːˈnet/Брюнетка
Grey hair/ɡreɪ heər/Сива коса

General Looks

Attractive/əˈtræk.tɪv/Привлекателен
Handsome/ˈhæn.səm/Красив (за мъж)
Good-looking/ˌɡʊdˈlʊk.ɪŋ/Добре изглеждащ
Well-dressed/ˌwelˈdrest/Добре облечен
Scruffy/ˈskrʌf.i/Неглиже
Elegant/ˈel.ɪ.ɡənt/Елегантен
Glasses/ˈɡlɑː.sɪz/Очила
🔎 Vocabulary Exercise 1 — Choose the Correct Word (5 sentences)
Read each sentence and choose the word that best fits the gap.
✎ Vocabulary Exercise 2 — Write the Correct Word (5 sentences)
Use the hint in brackets to help you. Write the correct vocabulary word in each gap.

Grammar Lab: Describing People

This lesson covers four core grammar tools for describing appearance: BE (for adjectives) · HAVE / HAVE GOT (for features) · WILL (for future appearance) · DO / DOES (for questions and negatives). Study each section carefully, then complete the exercises that follow.
A — BE vs HAVE: The Core Rule

Use TO BE (is / are / am)

Use BE with adjectives — words that describe the whole person as a quality.

  • Height: He is tall. / She is short.
  • Build: They are slim. / He is muscular.
  • Age: She is young. / He is elderly.
  • General look: He is handsome. / She is elegant.
✔ BE + adjective

Use TO HAVE (has / have)

Use HAVE with nouns — specific body parts, features, or accessories.

  • Hair: She has long hair.
  • Eyes: He has blue eyes.
  • Face: She has a round face.
  • Features: He has a beard. / She has freckles.
✔ HAVE + noun / noun phrase

⚠ Common Mistakes

  • ✘ He has tall. → ✔ He is tall.  (tall = adjective → use BE)
  • ✘ She is long hair. → ✔ She has long hair.  (hair = noun → use HAVE)
  • ✘ I have slim. → ✔ I am slim.  (slim = adjective → use BE)

Exercise A1 — Easy: Choose IS or HAS

1. My sister ___ very tall.
2. He ___ short dark hair.
3. She ___ quite slim and elegant.
4. The old man ___ a long grey beard.
5. My neighbour ___ freckles and green eyes.

Exercise A2 — Harder: Write the correct form — IS, ARE, AM, HAS, or HAVE

1. My parents ___ both tall and slim.
2. She ___ a scar above her left eyebrow.
3. I ___ overweight. I need to exercise more.
4. Both brothers ___ dark eyes and broad shoulders.
5. She ___ attractive and always well-dressed.
B — HAVE GOT (British English): Describing Features
In British English, HAVE GOT is very commonly used instead of HAVE to describe features and possession. The meaning is identical.
Example: "She has blue eyes." = "She has got blue eyes."  —  Both are correct in British English.
Full Conjugation: HAVE GOT
SubjectAffirmative (+)Negative (–)Question (?)
II 've got brown eyesI haven't got brown eyesHave I got brown eyes?
He / She / ItShe 's got long hairShe hasn't got long hairHas she got long hair?
You / We / TheyThey 've got glassesThey haven't got glassesHave they got glasses?
Short Answers: Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.  —  Yes, she has. / No, she hasn't.

💡 British vs American English

  • British English: “She has got blonde hair.” ← preferred and natural
  • American English: “She has blonde hair.” ← preferred
  • Both forms are grammatically correct. This course uses British English.

Exercise B1 — Easy: Rewrite using HAVE GOT

1. She has brown eyes. → She ___ brown eyes.
2. I have short hair. → I ___ short hair.
3. He has a beard. → He ___ a beard.
4. They have glasses. → They ___ glasses.
5. We have dark skin. → We ___ dark skin.

Exercise B2 — Harder: Write the negative or question with HAVE GOT

1. She has got blue eyes. → Negative: She ___
2. He has got a moustache. → Question: ___
3. They have got freckles. → Negative: They ___
4. I have got long hair. → Question: ___
5. She hasn't got a fringe. → Affirmative: She ___
C — WILL: Future Appearance & Changes
Use WILL to talk about how someone's appearance will change in the future, or to make a prediction about what someone will look like. WILL is the same for all subjects — there is no -s in the third person.
Full Conjugation: WILL (same for all subjects)
SubjectAffirmative (+)Negative (–)Question (?)
All subjectsShe will look differentShe won't look differentWill she look different?
ContractionsHe 'll grow a beardThey won't change—
Short Answers: Yes, she will. / No, she won't.  —  Yes, they will. / No, they won't.

Examples in Context

  • She will dye her hair blonde next month.
  • He will grow a beard when he is older.
  • I think she will look great with short hair.
  • They won't change their appearance much.
  • ✘ She will looks great. → ✔ She will look great.  (no -s after WILL)

Exercise C1 — Easy: Complete with WILL or WON'T

1. She ___ dye her hair red next week. (affirmative)
2. He ___ shave his beard — he loves it. (negative)
3. I think she ___ look fantastic with a fringe.
4. He ___ get glasses. His eyesight is perfect.
5. They ___ both grow taller — they are still young.

Exercise C2 — Harder: Write the full sentence using WILL

1. she / look / great / with short hair →
2. he / not / grow / a moustache →
3. will / she / change / her look? →
4. I think / they / have / grey hair / one day →
5. he / grow / taller / when he is older →
D — DO / DOES: Questions & Negatives About Appearance
When describing appearance using action verbs such as look, look like, or wear, you need DO / DOES to form negatives and questions — not BE. Remember: use DOES with he / she / it, and DO with I / you / we / they.
Full Conjugation: DO / DOES
SubjectAffirmative (+)Negative (–)Question (?)
I / You / We / TheyI look youngI do not look youngDo I look young?
He / She / ItShe looks youngShe does not look youngDoes she look young?
Short Answers: Yes, I do. / No, I don't.  —  Yes, she does. / No, she doesn't.

Key Verbs Used With DO / DOES

  • look — She doesn't look old.  /  Do they look alike?
  • look like — Does he look like his brother?  /  She doesn't look like her mother.
  • wear — Does she wear glasses?  /  He doesn't wear a tie.
✘ Is she wear glasses? → ✔ Does she wear glasses?  (wear = action verb → use DOES)

Exercise D1 — Easy: Choose DO or DOES

1. ___ she wear glasses every day?
2. They ___ not look like twins at all.
3. What ___ he look like?
4. ___ your parents look young for their age?
5. She ___ not look her age — she looks much younger.

Exercise D2 — Harder: Write the full question or negative sentence

1. (?) your brother / look like / your father →
2. (–) she / not / wear / jewellery →
3. (?) what / he / look like →
4. (–) they / not / look / like brothers →
5. (?) she / wear / glasses →
E — Adjective Order for Hair: The Golden Rule
When you use more than one adjective to describe someone's hair, English requires a fixed order. You cannot change it.
1. LENGTH  →  2. STYLE  →  3. COLOUR
Subject + Verb1. Length2. Style3. ColourNoun
She has gotlongcurlyblondehair.
He hasshortstraightdarkhair.
I havemedium-lengthwavygingerhair.
They have gotshort—greyhair.

⚠ Wrong Order = Wrong English

  • ✘ She has got blonde curly long hair.
  • ✔ She has got long curly blonde hair.  (length → style → colour)

Exercise E1 — Easy: Put the words in the correct order

1. She has got ___ hair. (blonde / long / curly)
2. He has ___ hair. (dark / short / straight)
3. I have got ___ hair. (wavy / ginger / medium-length)
4. She has ___ hair. (grey / short)
5. He has got ___ hair. (spiky / brown / short)

Exercise E2 — Harder: Write the full sentence in the correct order

1. My mother has got (wavy / long / dark) hair →
2. The suspect has (straight / short / blonde) hair →
3. Has she got (curly / long / red) hair? →
4. My friend has got (spiky / short / dark) hair →
5. She hasn't got (wavy / long / blonde) hair — she is bald →
F — Asking About Appearance: Key Questions
QuestionAsks aboutExample Answer
What does he look like?General appearanceHe is tall and has got short dark hair.
How tall is she?HeightShe is about 1.70 m. / She is quite tall.
How old is he?AgeHe is in his 30s. / He is middle-aged.
What colour are her eyes?Eye colourThey are green. / She has got green eyes.
Has she got long hair?A specific featureYes, she has. / No, she hasn't.
What will he look like?Future appearanceHe will be taller. / He will have a beard.

⚠ LOOK vs LOOK LIKE

  • look + adjective = impression   “She looks tired.” / “He looks young.”
  • look like + noun = resemblance   “She looks like her mother.”
  • ✘ What does she look? → ✔ What does she look like?

Exercise F1 — Easy: Choose the correct question word

1. ___ does she look like? (What / How)
2. ___ tall is he? (What / How)
3. ___ colour are his eyes? (What / How)
4. ___ she got a fringe? (Has / Does)
5. She looks ___ her father. (like / as)

Exercise F2 — Harder: Write the correct question for each answer

1. “He is tall and slim with dark hair.” → ___?
2. “She is about 1.65 m.” → ___?
3. “They are green.” (her eyes) → ___?
4. “Yes, she has. She has got long blonde hair.” → ___?
5. “He will be taller and will have a beard.” → ___?

Reading Comprehension

Read each text carefully, then select the correct answer for each question.
💆‍♀️

Text 1: A New Look

My friend Claire has decided to change her appearance completely. At the moment, she has got very long, straight brown hair, and she wears glasses every day. She thinks she looks too ordinary and wants to stand out more. Next month, she will visit the hairdresser's and have her hair cut quite short. The stylist will also dye it dark red, which Claire thinks will suit her. She says she will definitely keep the new style because she wants to feel more confident. In addition, she will get contact lenses instead of her glasses, as she finds them more comfortable. I am certain she will look absolutely fantastic with the new look.

Questions:

1. What does Claire's hair look like at the moment?

2. What will the stylist do to Claire's hair?

3. What will Claire get instead of her glasses?

👮

Text 2: The Witness Statement

A witness spoke to police after a robbery at a local shop. She described the suspect in detail. He is muscular and is in his late thirties. He has got short, spiky dark hair and a small scar on his right cheek. He does not have a beard, but he has got a moustache. The witness says he was wearing a dark hooded jacket and black trousers. He also had broad shoulders and looked quite tanned. Police believe he will try to leave the city soon. They will release a full description to the public tonight and are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Questions:

1. Has the suspect got a beard?

2. Where has the suspect got a scar?

3. What will the police do tonight?

👪

Text 3: A Family Resemblance

People often say that my sister and I look like our mother. We both have got wavy dark hair and brown eyes, and we are both of medium height. Our mother is middle-aged, but she looks much younger than she actually is. She is slim, and has always had an elegant appearance. My father is quite different — he is tall with broad shoulders and has got a short grey beard. He is in his fifties but still looks very fit and healthy. My younger brother, however, does not look like any of us. He has got ginger hair and freckles, just like our grandmother on our father's side. Everyone says he will look exactly like her when he is older, which makes her very proud.

Questions:

1. What colour hair has the writer's mother got?

2. Who does the younger brother look like?

3. What will the brother look like when he is older?

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Exercises (15 Sets)

Practise using BE, HAVE / HAVE GOT, WILL, and DO / DOES to describe appearance. Where two answers are acceptable, either one is marked correct.

Cloze Test: Fill in the Correct Word

Read the text below. Choose the correct word from the drop-down menu for each gap. You can change any answer before or after checking. Click Check All Answers to see your score — the answer key appears below.

A New Colleague

My new colleague, Marcus, a very tall and well-dressed man. He short, dark hair and a neat beard. I think he about forty years old, so he middle-aged. He also glasses for reading, which makes him look very professional.

Marcus like a typical office worker — he is also very muscular with broad shoulders. he have a brother? Yes, he , and they look exactly like each other — same height, same build, same eyes. Next year, Marcus says he a moustache as well. I think he great with it.