Describing people is one of the most practical skills you can develop when learning English. Knowing how to talk about someone's physical appearance — their hair, eyes, height, and build — opens the door to more natural and confident conversations. Here you will find the key vocabulary and structures used to describe family members, along with real examples that make learning easier.
What does she look like?
This is the essential question when you want to know about someone's physical characteristics in English. The structure "What does [person] look like?" [0:26] is used to ask about appearance, not personality. It is important not to confuse it with "What is she like?", which refers to character traits.
Throughout the lesson, four family members are introduced using this question as the starting point for each description. This repetition helps reinforce the pattern so you can use it naturally.
How do you describe hair, eyes, and body type?
When describing hair, English follows a specific order for adjectives: length + color + type. Here are the examples from the lesson:
- Short, gray hair — used to describe a grandmother who is 83 years old [0:35].
- Short, dark brown hair with blonde highlights — describing an aunt who is 60 years old [1:01].
- Long, dark hair — for a 17-year-old niece [1:30].
- Long, reddish hair — referring to a mother-in-law who is 62 years old [2:01].
Notice how the word highlights [1:08] is used to describe streaks of a different color in the hair. This is very common vocabulary in everyday English.
For eyes, the descriptions include dark eyes [0:44] and blue eyes [2:10]. The niece is also described as having long eyelashes [1:40], which adds a more detailed physical characteristic.
What about height and build?
Two key categories complete a physical description: height and physical build.
For height:
- Medium height — used for the grandmother, the aunt, and the niece [0:55].
- Tall — used for the mother-in-law [2:18].
For build:
- Plump [0:49] — a polite way to describe someone who is slightly overweight.
- Slim [1:47] — meaning thin in an attractive way, used for both the niece and the mother-in-law.
These adjectives are essential because they allow you to be descriptive without being impolite.
How can you practice describing your own family?
The best way to internalize this vocabulary is by writing your own sentences. The recommendation at the end of the lesson is clear: write five sentences for each member of your family [2:30]. You can describe as many family members as you want — the more you practice, the more you learn.
Here is a simple structure you can follow:
- Start with age: She is 30 years old.
- Describe hair: She has long, black hair.
- Describe eyes: Her eyes are brown.
- Mention build: She is slim.
- Mention height: She is tall.
What family vocabulary appears in the lesson?
Several family member terms are used naturally:
- Grandmother [0:25] — your parent's mother.
- Aunt [0:57] — your parent's sister.
- Niece [1:22] — your sibling's daughter.
- Mother-in-law [1:56] — your spouse's mother.
Mastering these terms along with physical descriptions gives you the tools to talk about the people closest to you. Try describing someone right now — what does your best friend or your favorite family member look like? Share your sentences and keep practicing.
