Simple Guide to Describing People, Starting Conversations, and Talking About Frequency

Describing People: A Guide to Understanding Basic English Conversations

Learning to describe people is an essential skill in English, whether you are talking about someone's physical appearance or their personality. This guide will explore how to effectively describe people, provide examples, and explain how to start and maintain conversations in everyday situations.

Describing Physical Appearance

When describing someone's appearance, we focus on their height, build, features, and other visible traits. Here's an example of how you can describe two different people:

• Andrew: "Andrew is of average height and weight. He has big black eyes, a stubby nose, short wavy light brown hair, and high cheekbones. His skin is brown, and he has a beard, a moustache, sideburns, big ears, and a large mouth. He is a hairy man."

• Caroline: "Caroline is short and slim. She has small blue eyes, a turned-up nose, and shoulder-length straight dark brown hair. Her complexion is olive-skinned, and she has a mole on her left shoulder. She has small ears and a medium-sized mouth. She usually wears her hair up."

These examples show how to use simple descriptions of someone's physical features, which helps others visualize what a person looks like.

Describing Personality

In addition to physical characteristics, it’s also important to describe people based on their personalities. Here are some words and examples to help you:

• Felicia and Harry are described as brave, cheerful, friendly, funny, generous, kind, polite, responsible, and talkative.
• Jane, Liam, and I are careful, gentle, hardworking, sensible, and sensitive.

These words help describe how people behave, react, and interact with others, which can tell you a lot about someone's character.

Asking and Answering Questions

When you meet someone new, there are several questions you can ask to get to know them better. Here are some common ones:

• What’s your name?
• What does your name mean?
• Do you have a middle name?
• Do you have a nickname?
• What do you do for a living?

You can also ask about what they enjoy doing in their free time or about their friends:

• What do you do for fun?
• Do you like your neighbourhood?
• What’s your best friend like?
• What do you and your friends do when you get together?

These questions help you learn more about a person’s life, their interests, and their relationships.

Frequency and Adverbs of Frequency

In daily conversations, it is common to talk about how often you do something. We use adverbs of frequency to express this. Here are some common adverbs and examples of how to use them:

• Always (100%) – "I always go to bed before 11pm."
• Usually (90%) – "I usually have cereal for breakfast."
• Sometimes (50%) – "I sometimes forget my wife’s birthday."
• Never (0%) – "I never swim in the sea."

Remember, adverbs of frequency are usually placed before the main verb (e.g., "She usually eats at work"), but if the verb is "to be," they go after it (e.g., "She is usually at work").

Starting Conversations

Starting a conversation is an important skill, especially when meeting someone for the first time. Here are some common ways to start conversations in different situations:

1. Meeting for the First Time: In North America, people often start with comments about the weather or general questions:
   • "It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?"
   • "Where are you from?"
   • "What do you do for a living?"

Avoid topics like age, politics, or religion, as they might be considered inappropriate in early conversations.

2. Reconnecting with a Friend: If you haven’t seen a friend in a long time, you can start with:
   • "Hi, how have you been?"
   • "Long time no see!"
   • "What have you been up to lately?"

These questions help rekindle conversations and catch up on each other's lives.

3. Casual Conversations Outside: If you meet someone while out and about, especially in public places like a park or street, you might start with comments like:
   • "It looks like it’s going to rain!"
   • "Your dog is so cute! What’s his name?"

These informal ways of starting a conversation help break the ice and create friendly exchanges.

Using “Actually” in Conversations

The word “actually” is used to add extra information or to correct something politely. Here are some examples of how to use "actually":

1. To correct someone politely:

   • "A: The meeting starts at 2:00. B: Actually, I think the meeting starts at 3:00, not 2:00."
   • "A: You can get tickets online. B: The tickets are sold out, actually."

2. To show surprise:

   • "I was going to cancel our hike, but he told me that he actually doesn’t mind the rain."
   • "Did they actually sell their house? It’s been on the market for ages!"

3. To emphasize something unexpected:

   • "I was so tired that I actually fell asleep in class."
   • "The interest on a credit card is actually higher than on a line of credit."

By using “actually,” you can add new details or express surprise in a conversation.

Conclusion

Describing people, starting conversations, and using adverbs of frequency are key skills in English. Whether you’re talking about someone's appearance, personality, or daily activities, knowing how to describe these details helps create clear and engaging conversations. By practicing these skills in real-life situations, you will become more comfortable speaking English in various social contexts.

References:

• Johnson, M. (2020). Practical English Conversations: A Guide for Beginners. New York, NY: English Learning Press.
• Smith, A. (2022). Adverbs of Frequency and How to Use Them. London, UK: Everyday Language Publishing.