Age

baby - Everyone goes through a lot of diapers when they are a baby.
toddler - Toddlers take their first steps around the age of two.
child - Having a child is one of the great joys in life.
teenager - Many teenagers have to deal with a lot of stress because of testing.
teens - I played a lot of sports in my teens.
thirties / forties / fifties - Most people have settled down by their forties.
young man / woman - That young man was very kind and gave me directions.
youth - We need to develop some more sports programs for the youth.

Age - Descriptive Adjectives

middle-aged (man / woman) - That middle-aged man asked me for directions.
elderly (man / woman) - Take time to listen to an elderly woman. She'll teach you a lot.
early /mid / late - He looks like he's in his mid twenties.
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Vocabulary
ESL
Words
One on One English
Adjective Word List

about - She's about thirty years old.

thirty something - She told me that she's thirty something.

Describing How People Look / Seem

good-looking - He's a good-looking doctor with a wife and two kids.
beautiful - The beautiful actress turned to the cameras with a glowing smile.
pretty - He fell in a love with a pretty girl from Las Vegas.
cute - That guy is really cute! What's his name?
handsome - The handsome actor was famous for his love of riding horses.
glamourous - The glamourous couple climbed onto their private jet and flew to Paris.

elegant - She's an elegant woman with lots of poise.

sophisticated - He was a sophisticated man who enjoyed many different hobbies.
ugly - I look so ugly today! Why don't these pimples go away!
hideous - I haven't slept in three days. I must look hideous.
unsightly - He's worried that the scar is unsightly.

Build
fat - Unfortunately, Peter has become rather fat in his old age.
overweight - Many Americans are overweight these days.
slim - He's that slim guy standing next to Peter over there.
thin - Angela is tall, thin and very beautiful.
skinny - Many people might say that models are skinny these days. That's very different from being
slim.
plump - If you drink a lot of beer, you'll certainly become plump.
stocky - He's a tall, stocky guy that looks like a lumber jack.
well built - Todd is very well built and looks great in a suit.

Complexion
pale - If you spend too much time indoors, you might become very pale.
tan - After two weeks on the beach, he was very tan.
clear - I was happy that I finally had a clear complexion when I become twenty.
good - He has good skin. I think he'd make a great model.
spotty - Older people often have spotty skin on their hands.
pimpled - I walked through the crowd of pimpled teenagers and knew I was in the wrong place!
freckles - The freckles on your cheeks make you so cute!
spots - I can't get rid of these spots on my hands.
pimples - I had so many pimples when I was a teenager. It drove me crazy!

Facial Features on Men

mustache - Curly mustaches are coming back into fashion in places like Portland.
clean-shaven - Most men in this city prefer a clean-shaven look these days.
beard - Some men wear a beard because they're lazy and don't want to shave.

Hair
long - Alice has long blonde hair.
short - I like to wear my hair short during the summer.
shoulder length - She has beautiful black shoulder length hair. She looks like a movie star.
black / red / brown / grey / silver - Tom has thick black hair.
blonde - Hollywood tends to prefer blonde women for certain types of roles.
brunette - I have brunette, shoulder-length hair.
white - He's gone complete white in his old age.

curly - She likes to wear her hair curly.

spiky - Some punks like to wear spiky hair.
Practice using this vocabulary in written descriptive paragraphs. Learn more descriptive
vocabulary relating to personality with this zodiac personality exercise.

Related

Writing Descriptive Paragraphs

Learn key vocabulary for describing people
Is 'friendly' and adjective or and adverb?
Follow each step to write your first sentences in English

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English Vocabulary for Business and English for Special Purposes

English Vocabulary for

Clothing
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Vocabulary

Business Wear

Mens Formal Wear

Gym Wear

Business Clothes

Business Clothing

Womens Underwear
Womens Office Wear

Clothing Fashion. Hero Images / Getty Images

By Kenneth Beare
English as 2nd Language Expert
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Updated March 30, 2016.

The words below are some of the most important used when talking about clothes and fashion
such as when you go shopping. Words that are used only for women are marked with a 'w', words
that are only used for men are marked with a 'm'.

Clothes - General
anorak - If you're hiking in cold weather, you'll need an anorak.
belt - I've lost weight, so I need a new belt to hold up my trousers.
blouse w - That's such pretty blouse. I love the checked pattern.
cardigan - Put on a cardigan and turn down the heat to save money at home.
dress w - Anna wore an elegant red dress to the reception.
gloves - I prefer to wear gloves to mittens because my fingers need to be free.
jacket - Let me put on a jacket and let's go for a walk.
jeans - I only wear jeans on the weekend as I have to wear a business suit during the week.

jumper - That's a cute jumper. Where did you buy it?

overalls - Overalls have been out of fashion for a very long time.
overcoat - When dressing formal, it's best to wear a overcoat.
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Vocabulary
Business Wear
Mens Formal Wear
Gym Wear
Business Clothes

pullover - I'm cold, so I need to put on a pullover.

raincoat - Raincoats won't keep you warm, but they will keep you dry.
scarf - A scarf is a beautiful accessory to add a touch of elegance.
shirt - You should wear a dress shirt to work today.
sweat-shirt - I put on a sweat-shirt and went to the gym to work out.
T-shirt - He usually wears a t-shirt to work. He's a slob.
tie - On the west coast people don't usually wear ties. However, ties are quite common on the east
coast.
skirt w - She wore a skirt and blouse to the job interview.
mini-skirt w - Mini-skirts were introduced in the 1960s and were considered very provocative.
shorts - It's summer. Why aren't you wearing shorts?
socks - If you don't wear socks, your feet will stink!
suit - Some professions require men to wear a suit to work.
sweater - I pulled on the warm sweater and drank a cup of coco.
trousers - Everyone puts on their trousers one leg at a time.

Clothes - Sportswear
jogging suit - Alice got into a jogging suit and ran three miles.
tracksuit - In some countries, people like to wear tracksuits when lounging around the house.
bikini w - Sports Illustrated features a bikini issue every year. Some think beautiful women in tiny
bikinis don't have much to do with sports!
swimming costume / swimming-suit w - Get your swimming-suit on and lets go to the beach.
swimming trunks m - In the USA, most men wear swimming trunks rather than speedos.

Clothes - Footwear
boots - If you're going for a hike, you'll need to wear boots.
sandals - During the summer, I usually wear sandals on the weekends.
slippers - I sometimes like to get in my pajamas, put on my slippers and spend a quiet evening at
home.
shoes - The heels on my shoes have worn out. I need a new pair.
sneakers - We're just getting some groceries, put on your sneakers and let's go.

Clothes - Underwear
bra w - Victoria Secrets has made the bra into a fashion statement.
knickers w - Don't get your knickers twisted!
panties w - She bought three pairs of panties with her bra.
tights / panty hose w - My sister doesn't like to wear dresses because she hates panty hose.
boxers m - She thinks boxers look better on men than briefs.
briefs m - Briefs are also called "tidy whities" in idiomatic American English.

Clothes - Headgear
beret - Men in France seem to love wearing berets.
cap - Americans wear a lot of baseball caps.
hat - Men used to wear hats in the 1950s. Everything has changed since then!
helmet - Soldiers could be recognized during the war by the type of helmet they wore.

Clothes - Natural Materials

cotton - Cotton breathes and is an excellent all around fabric.
denim - Denim is the cloth used to make jeans.
leather - Leather jackets are considered quite stylish by some.
linen - Linen sheets are very comfortable during hot summer nights.
rubber - The souls of boots are often made out of rubber, or rubber-like materials.
silk - Silk sheets are considered a luxury in most parts of the world.
suede - "Don't you step on my blue suede shoes" is a line from a famous Elvis Presley song.
wool - I prefer to wear a traditional wool coat to keep warm in winter.

Clothes - Artificial Materials

plastic - There are many plastic components in todays' sporting shoes.
nylon - Nylon is used to make rain jackets.
polyester - Polyester is often mixed with cotton to make a shirt "iron-free".

Clothes - Fashion
designer - Designers are often outlandish people.
fashion - The latest fashions come from Paris and London.
fashion-conscious - Fashion-conscious people spend thousands on clothes every year.

trend - I can't keep up with the latest trends.

unfashionable - That jacket is quite unfashionable.

Clothes - Patterns
checked - The checked shirt is quite popular in Portland.
flowery - She likes to wear flowery dresses.
patterned - I generally stay away from patterned shirts.
plain - I prefer a plain blue shirt.
polka-dotted - Spotted blouses are fashionable this season.
striped - I dark blue striped suit can be very elegant.
tartan - The Scottish are known for their tartan clothes.

Related

Learn how to speak about the seasons and months in English

Nonreversible Word Pairs
The Most Commonly Confused Word Pairs for ESL Learners
Homophone List for ESL Learners - S - Z

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Pronunciation and Speaking Skills for Intermediate Level English

Describing Friends
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Speaking Listening Skills

English Conversation
Italian Conversation

Describing People. Creative / DigitalVision / Getty Images

By Kenneth Beare
English as 2nd Language Expert
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Updated November 11, 2015.

Read the dialogue and the reading selection to learn about describing both male and female
friends.

My Friend
1. My friend Rich is coming to town next week. Have you ever met my him?
2. No, I haven't.
1. He's kind of crazy, but a great guy.
2. Yeah, why do you say so? What's he like?
1. He's really hard working, but very much a loner. He's pretty talented and can
do just about anything.
2. Sounds interesting. Is he married?
1. No, he isn't.
2. What does he look like? Maybe my friend Alice would be interested in meeting
him.
1. He's tall, slim and quite good looking. I'm sure your friend would find him
attractive. What's she like?
2. She's outgoing and very athletic.
1. Really? What sports does she like playing?
2. She's a great tennis player and also goes bicycling a lot.
1. What does she look like?

2. She's kind of exotic looking. She's got long dark hair and piercing black eyes.
People think she is rather beautiful.
1. Do you think she would like to meet Rich?
2. Sure! Why don't we introduce them?
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1. Great idea!

Key Vocabulary
to be like = used for character description
to like doing = used to state general preferences
would like to do = used to state a specific wish
look like = used to speak about physical appearance
loner = likes to be alone a lot
outgoing = very ambitious and does lots of activities
athletic = very good at sports
exotic = from a little known location
piercing = looking deeply into
rather = very

DIfferences in Vocabulary between Men and Women

You've probably learned that the adjective 'handsome' is generally used with men, and 'beautiful'
with women. It's a general rule, but there are certainly instances in which a women is handsome or
a man is beautiful. Of course, it's all in the eye of the beholder. The same can be said for the
adjective 'pretty' which is used with women. Whereas, 'cute' is used used when referring to either
sex.
This is also true when speaking about a person's character. Any adjective can be used to describe
either sex, but some are more common than others. Of course, these days, many people rightly
complain about such stereotypes. Still, there are preferences that lie deep in the English language.
'Guys' and 'gals' used to be used to refer to men and women in an informal manner. These days,
it's common to refer to everyone as 'guys'. Job names have also changed over the years. It's
common to change words like 'businessman' to 'businesswoman' or 'business person'. Other job
titles such as 'stewardess' are no longer in use.

These changes in vocabulary is an example of how English commonly changes with the times. In
fact, English is such a flexible language that it's difficult to understand English from four hundred
years ago, whereas other languages such as Italian have changed relatively little in comparison.

Key Vocabulary
to refer to either sex = be used with both male and female
stereotype = a general idea, often negative, of how a particular group of people act
to change with the times = to make changes as the culture changes
in the eye of the beholder = for the person who is taking notice
to lie deep in the language = to be at the roots of a language

More Intermediate Level Dialogues

Related

Making Suggestions
On the Telephone
Seeing a Doctor
Getting Fit
Imagining - Conditional Use
Work Experience - Use of the Present Perfect

Intermediate Dialogues - Making Suggestions

Intermediate Level Dialogues - Using your Imagination
Practice speaking on the telephone with dialogues including key phrases
Learn important vocabulary related to getting fit with this reading and dialogue

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ESL Lesson Plans Focusing on Travel and Tourism

Small Talk - Lesson Plan

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Business English Writing

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By Kenneth Beare
English as 2nd Language Expert
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Updated December 15, 2014.

The ability to make small talk comfortably is one of the most requested skills of almost any English
student. This is especially true for business English learners, but applies to all. The function
ofsmall talk is the same the world over. However, which topics are appropriate for small talk can
vary from culture to culture. Thislesson plan focuses on helping students develop their small talk
skills, while also addressing the issue of appropriate subjects. Difficulties in small talk skills can
arise from a number of factors including hesitancy in grammar and comprehension skills, lack of
topic specific vocabulary and a general lack of confidence. These topics can also lead to more
involved conversation lessons to get at the heart of the matter, so make sure to give students
ample room to delve into the subjects if they seem particularly interested.
Aim: Improving 'small talk' skills
Activity: Discussion of appropriate small talk subjects followed by a game to be played in small
groups
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Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Outline:

Write 'Small Talk' on the board. Ask students to brainstorm as a class to define
small talk. Write examples on the board.

Discuss the importance of small talk skills with the class. (you may want to
refer to the making small talk page for ideas)
Divide students into groups of 3 - 5.

Give students the small talk work sheet. Ask them to complete the first
section: Small Talk - Appropriate?.
Once students have discussed the various situations, solicit responses on the
various subjects from the class as a whole. Make sure to ask for examples of
comments on appropriate subjects and explanations for those topics which
students feel are not appropriate. Feel free to let students debate the issue
(thus developing their conversational skills!), as some subjects are sure to be
controversial.
Have students get back into their groups and play the small talk game.
Circulate around the room helping the students when they run into difficulties.
Take notes on subjects that students find difficult and brainstorm on
appropriate comments for those subjects after the game has finished.

Small Talk - Appropriate?

Which topics are appropriate for small talk discussions? For those topics which are appropriate,
think of one interesting comment to make when the teacher calls on you. For those topics which
are not appropriate, be able to explain why you believe they are not appropriate for small talk.

The latest films

The One True Path to Eternal Life
The local basketball team
Cars
A product you would like to sell to everyone
The Death Penalty
Your home town
How much you make
Your last holiday
Your favorite movie-star
The correct political party
The weather
Gardening
Your health problems
Your family

Small Talk - Socially Mixing

Play this game quickly in small groups. Throw one die to move forward from one subject to the
next. When you get to the end, return to the beginning to start again. You have thirty seconds to
begin making a comment about the suggested subject. If you can not, you lose your turn!

Your best friend

The last film you saw

Pets

Rock and roll

A magazine

Learning a language

Playing tennis

Your current job

An interesting excursion nearby

The Internet

Marilyn Monroe

Keeping healthy

Human cloning

Your favorite food

Finding a job in your country

The last book you read

Your worst holiday

Something you've never done, but would like to do

Teachers - what you like

Teachers - what you don't like

ESL: 6 Steps to Master Small Talk

Writing English Drama Scripts in ESL Class
Business Letter Lesson Plan
The Necessity of Grammar

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Improve Your Vocabulary

Idioms and Expressions in

Context
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Idioms

Reading Stories

Learn English Vocabulary

Short Stories for Kids

Expressions
ESL Teaching English
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By Kenneth Beare
English as 2nd Language Expert
Updated April 10, 2015.

It's important to learn and use idioms and expressions in context. Of course, idioms are not always
easy to understand. There are idiom and expression resources that can help with definitions, but
reading them in short stories can also provide context that make them come more alive. Try
reading the story one time to understand the gist without using the idiom definitions. On your
second reading, use the definitions to help you understand the text while learning new idioms.
After you understand the story, take the quiz at the end of each reading to test your knowledge.
Teachers can print out these short stories and use in class in combination with teaching ideas
provided at the end of this resource list.
Idioms and Expressions in Context Stories
Party Animal
Three friends meet up after not having seen each other for a long time. It's time for a party!
John's Keys to Success
A story about a man was an accomplished businessman and happily gives advice to young people
he mentors.
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An Unpleasant Colleague
A story about a man who took himself a little too seriously and, as a result, was quite unpopular
with his colleagues.
Odd Man Out
A story about a man who gossiped a little too much at parties making him the "odd man out"
anytime he joined the fun.
Life of the Party
Bill was known as the life of the party for a good reason. Learn why he was asked to everyone's
party.
The Economy is Tough
Idioms appropriate for talking about the economy when it's having difficulties. This story makes
good discussion material in business English classes.
The Inventor's Lesson
A story about a friend who invented a gadget that made him a millionaire. It's the perfect story for
engineers and those involved in business.
Young and Free
A short story about an what it takes to be successful in a small company. It's good preparation for
young adult English learners who are college age.
Advice from a Content Grandfather
Grandfather has some wise advice about how to lead a happy life. This is a good story for classes
with older adult learners.
A Very Difficult Boss
Here is a story about a boss who makes the life of his employees difficult. This is a great story for
classes that include lots of young professionals. They can complain and not get in trouble!
My Successful Friend
Here is a story about a man's friend who has had a very successful career.
Missed Chance of a Lifetime My uncle made a huge mistake because of his big mouth. Learn
more.
A Night on the Town
Here is a story about a friend who had a night on the town with his friend. Unfortunately, they
overdid it and would up feeling pretty bad the next morning.
Wise Guy
This wise guy bothered everyone at the party.
The Road to Success
Here is a short essay on how to succeed in today's difficult economic environment. It makes good
reading for business English classes.
My Cousin Crazy Eddy
Crazy Eddy a businessperson with some success, who also knows how to defend himself and is
not afraid of authority.
Will You Marry Me?
A story about a man who's soon going to ask his loved one to marry him. It's great for anyone who
likes romance.

Licensing a Car
A man recounts the difficulties he had when licensing his car. This story includes many idioms
used when speaking about dealing with agencies.
For teachers:
Use these idioms in context stories with your advanced level classes to provide context for learning
common idioms in English. Each short story of two to three paragraphs provides approximately 15
idioms. These idioms are then defined following the story followed by a short quiz testing a number
of idioms from the selection. Following this introduction to the idioms in context you can practice
use of the idioms in a number of ways. Here are a few ideas:

Ask students to write their own short stories using the idioms in context.

Have students write dialogues using the idioms to act out in class.

Group students together to create their own gap fill quizzes for other groups.

Write up questions using the idioms presented and discuss as a class or in

groups.

Make up situations that fit each idiom on-the-fly and ask students to choose
the idiom that fits best.

Are you interested in English idioms? These resources will help you learn
more.
Learn idioms to discuss working in today's tough economy
Grandfather gives some advice and teaches you new idioms and expressions
Learn 15 idioms in a story about a my crazy cousin Eddy

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