Personal Identification and Characteristics

Maturita topic 2, general part, at Cambridge B2 First level. The specific part of this topic is Famous People from English-Speaking Countries.

What to talk about

• basic personal information – name, age, where you live, school, interests
• your appearance – height, build, hair, face, clothes
• your character – positive and negative qualities, strengths and weaknesses
• how other people see you; first impressions
• describing another person – a friend, a family member or a famous person

Model answer

Let me introduce myself. My name is…, I’m eighteen and I live in… with my family. I’m in my final year at a secondary school, where I study information technology, and after the school-leaving exam I’d like to go to university.

As for my appearance, I’m medium height and slim, with short dark hair and brown eyes. I usually wear casual clothes – jeans, a hoodie and trainers – but I can dress up for special occasions. People often tell me that I look like my dad, and I think I’ve also taken after him in character.

How would I describe my personality? I think I’m easy-going and reliable – when I promise something, I do it. My friends say I’m a good listener and that I’m patient, which helps when I explain something about computers to my grandparents. I’m also quite ambitious: I want to do well in my exams and in my future job. On the other hand, I can be a bit lazy when it comes to things I don’t enjoy, and I tend to put things off until the last minute. I’m also quite shy with people I don’t know, so first impressions are not my strong point – I need some time to open up.

My best friend is completely different. She’s outgoing and talkative, she makes friends wherever she goes and she’s always full of energy. She can be a bit bossy sometimes, but she’s also very generous and loyal. I think we get on so well precisely because we complement each other.

In my opinion, character is more important than appearance. Looks can change, but qualities like honesty, kindness and a sense of humour are what make people really attractive. Of course, first impressions matter, for example at a job interview, but people should always get to know someone before they judge them.

Vocabulary

Grammar worth showing

• be like vs. look like: What is she like? – She’s friendly. What does she look like? – She’s tall.
• tend to / can be to soften criticism: I tend to put things off. He can be a bit stubborn.
• order of adjectives: long curly black hair, a small round face.

Useful phrases

• I would describe myself as…
• People who know me well would say that…
• My biggest strength / weakness is…
• I’m the kind of person who…
• She’s not exactly…, but…

Speaking practice

Part 1 – about you

Part 3 / 4 – discussion