Describing People: Height

5 Describing people
A Height /haIt/ and weight /weIt/ Bettina Schwenke

Bettina Schwenke is a very tall woman.
Tom Jakes
Tom Jakes is quite short.
If you aren’t tall or short, you are of medium height.
Agata Sanchez is really slim.

I was very thin when I was in hospital.
[slim is more polite than thin]
Agata Sanchez
The doctor said I am overweight. [weigh too much]

Their cat is very fat. It needs to go on a diet.
B Face and head

Suri has dark skin and dark hair. She has brown eyes.
Polly
Polly has blonde (or fair) hair and fair skin. She has blue eyes. Suri
Ben has a beard and long hair. He has green eyes.
Luca has a moustache /mʊˈstɑːʃ/ and short hair.
You can also use has got, for example, Suri has got
dark hair and dark skin.
My mother is a very beautiful woman. [very pretty]
My dad’s a very good-looking man.
Common mistakes
People are tall [NOT People are high].
Ben Luca
People have blonde or dark hair [NOT hairs].
My sister is pretty. (usually girls / women only)

Bob’s an ugly man. [ugly = the opposite of beautiful or good-looking]
I’m not ugly or beautiful, I’m just average-looking!
C Age
My grandmother is 97. She’s very old. My sister is 14. She’s young, but would like to be older. My
father is 56. He’s middle-aged, but would like to be younger!
This hospital is for elderly people. (more polite than old)
D Expressions
A: How tall is Bettina / Tom? B: She’s 1.85 metres tall. / He’s 1.48 metres tall.
A: How heavy are you? / How much do you weigh? B: I weigh 62 kilos / 74 kilos, etc.
A: How old is he? B: He’s 84.
A: What does Gemma / your sister look like?
B: She’s tall and dark. She’s very pretty.
Tip
Some of the words on this page are a little negative, so be
careful how you use them. It’s better not to say to someone:
‘You are fat / thin / ugly / old.’
16 English Vocabulary in Use Elementary

Exercises
5.1 Complete the sentences.
1 He’s only 1 metre 52. He’s quite.short
2 Very people are often good at basketball.
3 Models are usually .
4 Does she have dark skin? No, it’s .
5 She’s only seven. She’s very .
6 If I eat too much I’ll be .
7 My grandmother is in this hospital. It’s a hospital for people. (don’t use ‘ old’)
5.2 Complete the questions using the words in brackets ().
1 How tall is your brother? (your brother)
He’s about 1 metre 75.
2 Is ? (Elena’s hair)
No, she’s got dark hair.
3 Is ? (Mike’s hair)
Yes, it is quite long.
4 Are ? (your parents)
Not really, they’re middle-aged.
5 Is ? (his sister)
Yes, she’s very pretty.
6 Why ? (Sara, so thin)
She’s very ill.
5.3 Write sentences about the
people in these pictures.
Felicity Jeff Anika Stefan
1 Felicity’s got blonde hair and fair skin.

2 Jeffhas
3 Anika’s got
4 Stefan’s hair is and he
5.4 Write questions.
1 your brother, height How tall is your brother?
2 your teacher, looks
3 you, weight
4 your mother, age
5 your sister, height
6 your parents, looks
5.5 Now write answers to the questions in 5.4.
1 He’s not very tall. He’s 1 metre 52.
Over to you
Write down the names of three people you know. Then write about their:
• height (tall, short, medium height) • eyes (colour)
• hair (colour, long, short, beard) • looks (pretty, average-looking, etc.)
English Vocabulary in Use Elementary 17

6 Health and illness
A How are you today?
I’m very well, thanks.
I’m fine, thanks.
I don’t feel very well. I must go home and rest. (I’ll probably be OK tomorrow.)
I feel ill. Can you get a doctor, please? (Perhaps it’s a serious problem.)
That fish was bad. I think I’m going to be sick! (I want to vomit.)
B Everyday problems
Have you got an aspirin? I’ve got a headache. /'hedeIk/
I’ve got toothache. /ˈtuːθeɪk/ I need to go to the dentist.
I’m going to bed with a hot drink. I’ve got a cold.
C Problems people have for many years / all their lives

I get hay fever every summer, from flowers and grass. I sneeze all day. /sniːz/
My little brother has asthma; sometimes he can’t breathe. /ˈæsmə/
D Illnesses in hot / tropical countries
mosquito In some countries, mosquitoes can give people

malaria. /məˈleərɪə/
The drinking water was bad, and many children
had cholera. /ˈkɒlərə/
E Serious illnesses Common mistakes

Every year cancer kills many
people who smoke. /ˈkænsə/ My father had a heart attack
My father went to hospital when he [NOT got a heart attack].
had a heart attack.
F Expressions
A Do you have a healthy diet?
B Yes, I eat lots of fruit and vegetables.
A Do you exercise?
B Yes, I like swimming, jogging and cycling. They’re really good for you.
A I feel stressed!
B Do you? You need to relax more and don’t panic about work!
18 English Vocabulary in Use Elementary

Exercises
6.1 Complete the dialogues.
1 A: How are you today?
B: Very well, thanks.
A: Good!
2 A: Are you OK?
B: No,
A: Would you like to use the bathroom?
B: Yes, thank you.
3 A: I
B: I’ll get a doctor.
A: Oh, thank you.
4 A:
B: Here’s the dentist’s phone number.
A: Thanks.
5 A: Your nose is red. Have you got ?
B: Yes.
A: Have a hot drink and go to bed early.
6.2 Match the illnesses in the table with a possible treatment.
gotothedentist takeanaspirin gotohospital gotobedwithahotdrink
illness treatment
a headache take an aspirin

toothache
a heart attack
a cold
6.3 What illnesses are connected with …

1 a mosquito bite? malaria
2 bad drinking water?
3 pollution, traffic fumes, etc.?
4 grass, flowers, sunshine, etc.?
5 smoking, unhealthy diet, no exercise?
6.4 Answer these questions. Use a dictionary to help you.
1 Do you have a healthy diet?
2 What exercise do you do?
3 Do you often feel stressed?
4 Have you ever been in hospital?
5 Do you get hay fever in summer?
English Vocabulary in Use Elementary 19

Describing People: Height

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5 Describing people

A Height /haIt/ and weight /weIt/ Bettina Schwenke

Agata Sanchez is really slim.

The doctor said I am overweight. [weigh too much]

B Face and head

My sister is pretty. (usually girls / women only)

16 English Vocabulary in Use Elementary

Felicity Jeff Anika Stefan

1 Felicity’s got blonde hair and fair skin.

English Vocabulary in Use Elementary 17

I’ve got toothache. /ˈtuːθeɪk/ I need to go to the dentist.

I’m going to bed with a hot drink. I’ve got a cold.

C Problems people have for many years / all their lives

D Illnesses in hot / tropical countries

mosquito In some countries, mosquitoes can give people

E Serious illnesses Common mistakes

B Yes, I eat lots of fruit and vegetables.

18 English Vocabulary in Use Elementary

gotothedentist takeanaspirin gotohospital gotobedwithahotdrink

a headache take an aspirin

6.3 What illnesses are connected with …

English Vocabulary in Use Elementary 19

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