B1 PRELIMINARY · VOCABULARY · TOPIC VOCABULARY
People and feelings
Words like get on well with, friendly, patient and look like.
Finn says
Describing people is useful for Speaking Part 2 photos, Writing stories and emails about friends and family. Learn the words in groups, with the words they go with, and try to use two or three of them next time you practise Speaking or Writing.
Personality
friendly / easy-going
nice to people / relaxed
My best friend is really easy-going.
patient
able to wait calmly
A good teacher is patient.
shy
nervous with new people
I was shy when I was little.
hard-working
works a lot
She is very hard-working.
Relationships
get on well with
have a good relationship with
I get on well with my cousin.
look like / take after
have the same appearance / be similar to an older relative
I look like my mum, but I take after my dad.
fall out with
stop being friends after an argument
He fell out with his best friend.
rely on
trust someone to help
You can always rely on her.
Make it better
The same idea, first in basic English, then in the kind of language that gets a higher mark.
- Basic: My friend is nice.Better: My friend is easy-going and really funny.Precise adjectives instead of 'nice'.
- Basic: We are good friends and we don't fight.Better: We get on really well.One natural phrase.
- Basic: My face is the same as my father.Better: I look like my father.The usual way to say it.
Finn's exam tip
Avoid 'nice' and 'good' when you describe people. Choose a precise adjective and give an example: 'She's very patient – she never gets angry when I'm late.'
Quick check
Choose the best answer.
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