How to Describe a Person

2161 Words9 Pages
How to Describe a Person How do you say... It can be challenging to describe a person in a language that is not your own. Where do you start? What are the most important things to point out? What is correct to say? What should you avoid saying? For answers, read on! Create A Picture with Words First, when you describe a person (or a picture of a person) it is a good idea to have a system in mind so that you will be sure to give your listener a clear mental picture of the person. If you jump around from one point to another, it will be hard for your listener to assemble the pieces of the person in his or her mind. What do you see? [pic] http://everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=270544 Photographer: mforman: everystockphoto.com License Agreement: http://www.sxc.hu/info.phtml?f=help&s=8_2 Where do you start? Here is a description of the picture above. Follow these steps to give a clear mental picture: 1. Start on the outside. Describe the person in general terms. "This looks like a small, elderly, Asian man. He looks as if he may be rather poor." 2. Start at the top of the person's head and work your way down for a description. "He is wearing a battered hat, and his eyes look cheerful. He has a big grin!" 3. Tell a little bit about the person's clothing. "He is wearing an old-looking, dark jacket." 4. Round it off with a general statement. "He looks like a happy, kind-hearted sort of man." This is a nice looking African - American man. [pic] He has short, black hair, sparkling brown eyes and a broad, friendly smile. He is wearing a dark suit and tie. He appears to be fit and trim. He looks like an intelligent, competent man. A great study aid! What are the most important things to point out? We remember a person's appearance because of the things that stand out, so it is good to describe a person's gender, age, size, race, and positive features to help your
Open Document