How to Describe a Picture in English - Spoken English Lesson

Summary

In this Oxford Online English lesson, Michael teaches viewers how to describe pictures in English, a skill useful for exams like FCE and TOEIC. The lesson guides learners to start with a summary, detail the picture's content, and speculate about unseen context. Key phrases and examples are provided to help build clear, detailed descriptions, encouraging practice for better English proficiency.

Takeaways

• 😀 Describing a picture in English is a valuable skill for various exams like FCE, TOEIC, and PTE.
• 📚 Start your description with a summary to give a general idea of the picture's content.
• 👀 Assume the listener cannot see the picture and provide necessary details for them to visualize it.
• 📝 Practice using phrases like 'There is…' or 'The picture shows…' to begin your summary.
• 🔍 After summarizing, provide more detail by discussing the location of elements within the picture.
• 🗣️ Use language such as 'On the left,' 'In the middle,' and 'In the background' to describe positions.
• 🏞️ Focus on the most important parts of the picture when adding detail, rather than describing everything.
• 🤔 Engage in speculation to discuss possibilities about the picture and make your description more detailed.
• ❓ Ask yourself questions about the picture to guide your speculation, such as 'Why' and 'Who' questions.
• 🌍 Speculate not only about what is visible in the picture but also about the context, like location and time.
• 📈 Combine all elements: summary, detail, and speculation to create a comprehensive description.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the lesson in the transcript?

The main focus of the lesson is to teach students how to describe a picture in English, which is useful for English exams like FCE, TOEIC, or PTE, and also for practicing general English skills.

Why is it important to start with a summary when describing a picture?

Starting with a summary is important because it gives a general description of what's in the picture, making it easier for the listener to understand the overall content without seeing the picture.

What is the suggested approach to begin describing a picture?

The suggested approach is to start with a simple summary, then give more detail about what you see in the picture, focusing on the most important parts, and finally speculate about what is in the picture and its context.

What phrases can be used to begin a description of a picture?

Phrases such as 'There is…', 'There are…', and 'The picture shows…' can be used to start describing a picture.

How can you describe the location of objects within a picture?

You can describe the location of objects by using phrases like 'On the left, there is…', 'In the middle, there is…', 'At the bottom, we can see…', 'In the foreground…', and 'In the background…'.

What is the purpose of adding detail to your description after the summary?

Adding detail to your description after the summary helps to provide a clearer and more vivid image of the picture to the listener, enhancing their understanding of the specifics within the picture.

Why should you not try to describe everything in the picture?

You should not describe everything in the picture because it's not necessary or useful; instead, focus on the most important parts to create a concise and impactful description.

What does the term 'speculating' mean in the context of describing a picture?

In the context of describing a picture, 'speculating' means discussing possibilities, providing opinions, and answering questions about the picture to create a longer and more detailed description.

How can you speculate about the context of a picture?

You can speculate about the context of a picture by asking and answering questions about where and when it was taken, who took it, and what the photographer was doing there.

What are some useful phrases for speculating about a picture?

Useful phrases for speculating about a picture include 'I suppose…', 'Maybe…', '[It] must…', '[He] might…'.

What is the final step suggested after describing and speculating about a picture?

The final step suggested is to practice making longer, fluent descriptions by combining all the elements learned throughout the lesson, such as giving a summary, detailing the picture, and speculating about its content and context.