Describing people and things

To give a general descriptions of something, use It’s …

It’s gold with three diamonds.

It’s a ladies’ watch.

It’s a green suitcase with wheels.

Use It’s made of … to say what material or substance something is.

It’s made of leather.

It’s quite a small bag, and it’s made of velvet.

The beads are bright blue and they’re made of glass.

Start general descriptions of people with He’s/She’s …

He’s five years old.

She’s Spanish.

He was very tall.

Use He’s/She’s got … to talk about what someone looks like.

She’s got short brown hair.

He’s got a beard.

She’s got brown eyes.

To talk about someone’s clothes, use He’s/She’s wearing … or He’s/She’s got … on.

She’s wearing jeans and a green T-shirt.

She’s wearing an orange blouse.

He’s got a black jacket on.

To describe the impression that someone gives, use He/She looks …

Sheila was looking miserable. 

She looks around 15 years old.

Come back for more blogs on using English in everyday situations: https://blog.collinsdictionary.com/language-learners/learning-english/

All opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company, HarperCollins.

Other Articles

Making sure you’ve understood

If you do not understand what someone has said, use I don’t understand. Sorry, I don’t understand. I didn’t understand what you said. Please could you repeat that? I didn’t understand. You can also express any uncertainty about what someone has said by using I’m not sure … Sorry, I’m… Read More

Saying goodbye

In most circumstances, you can use Goodbye when you leave a person or a place, such as a shop or bank, etc. If it’s nighttime, you can use Good night. Goodbye, Helen! Thanks for coming. Thanks for all your help. Goodbye. Good night. See you in the morning. Goodbye is… Read More

Making a phone call

Making a phone call in English can be intimidating, so here are some phrases to help you. Once you’ve made the call and someone answers, you will need to tell them who you are. Use Hello, it’s … (here). Hello Mr Hall, it’s Alex Ronaldson here. Hello, it’s Marie. Can… Read More