Unit 8 – Describing People
Part A – Character and Personality

1- imaginative (adjective) – able to think of new and creative ideas.
She is an imaginative writer.

2- charming (adjective) – pleasant and attractive.
He is a charming young man.

3- generous (adjective) – willing to give or share.
She is always generous with her friends.

4- quick-tempered (adjective) – becoming angry easily.
He is quick-tempered under pressure.

5- opportunistic (adjective) – using situations for personal advantage.
Some politicians are opportunistic.

6- systematic (adjective) – organized and methodical.
She has a systematic way of working.

7- methodical (adjective) – careful and well organized.
He is methodical in everything he does.

8- conscientious (adjective) – careful and responsible.
She is a conscientious student.

9- conservative (adjective) – preferring traditional ways.
My grandfather is very conservative.

10- sensitive (adjective) – easily affected by emotions.
He is sensitive to criticism.

11- emotional (adjective) – showing strong feelings.
She became emotional during the speech.

12- stubborn (adjective) – refusing to change your opinion.
He is too stubborn to admit his mistake.

13- rebellious (adjective) – unwilling to obey rules.
The teenager became rebellious.

14- courageous (adjective) – brave.
The firefighter was courageous.

15- affectionate (adjective) – showing love and care.
She is very affectionate toward children.

16- obliging (adjective) – willing to help others.
Our neighbors are very obliging.

17- sentimental (adjective) – having strong emotional feelings.
He keeps sentimental gifts.

18- superficial (adjective) – not deep or serious.
His knowledge is superficial.

19- insecure (adjective) – lacking confidence.
She feels insecure about her English.

20- fun-loving (adjective) – enjoying fun and entertainment.
They are fun-loving people.

Work & Career Idioms

Climb the career ladder – advance in your career Example: She worked hard to climb the career ladder.

Learn the ropes – learn how to do a new job Example: It took me a few weeks to learn the ropes.

Pull your weight – do your fair share of the work Example: Everyone must pull their weight on the team.

Get the sack – lose your job Example: He got the sack for being late every day.

Call the shots – be in charge and make decisions Example: The manager calls the shots in our office.

Work your fingers to the bone – work extremely hard Example: My parents worked their fingers to the bone to support the family.

In the same boat – be in the same situation Example: We're all in the same boat before the final exam.

Bring to the table – offer useful skills or ideas Example: She brings a lot of experience to the table.

Think outside the box – think creatively Example: We need to think outside the box to solve this problem.

Go the extra mile – make an extra effort Example: Good teachers always go the extra mile for their students.

Part B – More Personality Words

21- popular (adjective) – liked by many people.
She is popular at school.

22- perfectionist (noun) – a person who wants everything perfect.
He is a perfectionist.

23- gifted (adjective) – naturally talented.
She is a gifted musician.

24- tactless (adjective) – saying things that may offend people.
His tactless comment upset everyone.

25- intuitive (adjective) – understanding without being told.
She is intuitive and learns quickly.

26- stingy (adjective) – unwilling to spend money.
He is too stingy to buy gifts.

27- diligent (adjective) – hard-working.
She is a diligent employee.

28- independent (adjective) – able to do things without help.
He became independent at a young age.

29- placid (adjective) – calm and peaceful.
She has a placid personality.

30- outgoing (adjective) – friendly and sociable.
My sister is outgoing.

31- selfish (adjective) – caring only about yourself.
It was selfish to ignore others.

32- cunning (adjective) – clever in a dishonest way.
The fox is often described as cunning.

33- elegant (adjective) – graceful and stylish.
She wore an elegant dress.

34- artistic (adjective) – good at art or creative activities.
He has an artistic talent.

35- over-anxious (adjective) – worrying too much.
Parents are sometimes over-anxious.

36- witty (adjective) – funny and clever.
He is witty and entertaining.

37- magnetic personality (noun) – a personality that attracts people.
The actor has a magnetic personality.

38- down-to-earth (adjective) – practical and sensible.
She is friendly and down-to-earth.

39- altruistic (adjective) – caring about others more than yourself.
Doctors should be altruistic.

40- tolerant (adjective) – accepting different people and opinions.
Good teachers are tolerant.