How to Describe Personality in English | Advanced Vocabulary

Summary

In this engaging Confident English lesson, Annemarie, an English fluency coach, guides learners on how to articulate their personality traits effectively. She introduces dynamic sentence starters, the use of qualifiers to express the degree of a trait, and provides six real-life examples to demonstrate the balance between positive and negative characteristics. The lesson aims to equip students with the vocabulary and confidence to describe themselves or others authentically in various English-speaking contexts, such as social gatherings or job interviews.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video script is a lesson on how to describe one's personality in English, focusing on vocabulary and sentence starters.
• 🔍 It emphasizes the importance of having the right vocabulary to express personal characteristics in various situations, including job interviews and social media.
• 📝 The lesson introduces dynamic sentence starters for personality-focused questions, which can help articulate unique qualities.
• 📚 Qualifiers are highlighted as essential for indicating the degree or strength of a characteristic, and for softening statements when necessary.
• 👥 The script provides six real-life examples to illustrate how to balance positive and negative traits while describing one's personality.
• 📖 Vocabulary words are defined within the context of the script to ensure understanding of how they can be used to describe personality traits.
• 🤔 The use of qualifiers is cautioned against overuse, as it may indicate a lack of self-confidence if not applied thoughtfully.
• 📈 The lesson encourages practicing the use of these words to describe oneself or others, fostering better communication skills.
• 📹 Annemarie, the English confidence and fluency coach, offers resources and lessons on her website, Speak Confident English.com.
• 💬 The script invites viewers to engage by sharing their own personality descriptions in the comments section of the video.
• 👍 It concludes by encouraging viewers to like, comment, subscribe, and explore more resources to improve their English communication skills.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video script?

The main purpose of the video script is to help English learners describe their personality traits in English, providing them with dynamic sentence starters, vocabulary, and real-life examples to express their character effectively.

Who is Annemarie and what does she do?

Annemarie is an English confidence and fluency coach. She designs lessons and provides resources to help people gain confidence in using English for their personal and professional lives.

What are dynamic sentence starters and why are they important?

Dynamic sentence starters are phrases used to begin responses to personality-focused questions. They are important because they provide a structured way to express unique qualities and can make the speaker sound more articulate and confident.

What is the role of qualifiers in describing personality traits?

Qualifiers are words that indicate the degree to which a characteristic is true or the strength of a trait. They can soften a statement, show uncertainty, or emphasize the extent of a personality trait.

Can you give an example of how to use qualifiers in a sentence?

An example from the script is 'I guess I'm pretty reserved at work.' Here, 'guess' signals uncertainty, and 'pretty' indicates the level of strength of the reservedness.

What is the difference between an introvert and an extrovert as described in the script?

An introvert is someone who tends to need a lot of alone time and gets energy from being alone, often being reserved in social situations. An extrovert, on the other hand, is highly social, getting energy from being in social situations.

What is the term 'wallflower' used to describe in the context of personality?

The term 'wallflower' describes someone who is typically shy in social situations, preferring to stay close to the walls at a party and engaging in deep, meaningful conversations rather than being in the center of attention.

How can the word 'thrive' be used in the context of personality description?

The word 'thrive' can be used to describe someone who prospers, succeeds, or shines in a particular environment or situation, such as thriving on deep conversations.

What does the script suggest about the importance of owning one's personality traits?

The script suggests that it's important to own one's personality traits confidently. Overusing qualifiers can indicate a lack of self-confidence, so it's encouraged to state traits assertively when they are true strengths.

How does the script encourage learners to practice describing personalities?

The script encourages learners to practice by identifying words that describe themselves or others they know, and then using those words in sentences to describe personality in various scenarios, such as at a party or during a job interview.

What resources does Annemarie offer for further learning and practice?

Annemarie offers years of her Confident English lessons and a variety of free resources on her website, SpeakConfidentEnglish.com. She also recommends her in-depth fluency training for those who want to gain more confidence in English.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Mastering Personality Descriptions in English

The script introduces the importance of articulating one's personality in English, whether for personal or professional purposes. It emphasizes the need for the right vocabulary to describe one's character, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The lesson aims to equip learners with dynamic sentence starters, personality-focused vocabulary, and real-life examples to confidently describe themselves or others. Annemarie, the English confidence and fluency coach, offers resources and lessons on her website to enhance English communication skills.

05:01

📝 Understanding Qualifiers for Personality Traits

This paragraph delves into the use of qualifiers, words that indicate the degree or strength of a personality trait. It explains how qualifiers can soften statements and provide examples of their usage, such as 'extremely reserved' versus 'somewhat reserved'. The coach warns against overusing qualifiers as it might suggest a lack of self-confidence. A list of common qualifiers is provided, and their impact on how personality traits are communicated is discussed, with examples to illustrate their application.

10:03

🌟 Balancing Positive and Negative Personality Traits

The script presents real-life examples that demonstrate how to balance the positive and negative aspects of one's personality. It uses the metaphor of a party to explain the difference between introverts and extroverts, highlighting the value of deep conversations and the role of a 'wallflower'. The paragraph also introduces the terms 'thriving on deep conversation' and 'good conversationalist', emphasizing the importance of active participation and listening in social interactions.

15:04

🔑 Unpacking Key Personality Traits and Actions

The paragraph explores specific personality traits such as loyalty, determination, and goal-driven behavior, and how they can be perceived both positively and negatively. It discusses the fine line between being seen as stubborn and being determined, and the importance of framing one's traits in a positive light. The paragraph also touches on the concept of helping others out and the value of being reliable, hardworking, and diligent in a work context.

20:07

🤝 Emphasizing Collaboration and Open Communication

This section introduces the values of collaboration and generosity in a work environment, contrasting them with competition. It describes the benefits of pooling shared knowledge for team success and creating a convivial and productive atmosphere. The paragraph explains the meaning of 'convivial' and how it relates to a friendly and welcoming environment, and it also touches on the importance of being direct and diplomatic in communication.

📚 Applying Lessons to Personal and Professional Scenarios

The final paragraph encourages learners to apply the lesson's insights to describe themselves or others in various social and professional settings. It suggests practicing by describing what one is 'into' or what one is like, in scenarios such as meeting new people at a party or being interviewed for a job. The coach invites learners to share their examples in the comments and reminds them to respect privacy. The lesson concludes with a call to action to engage with the coach's resources and further develop English communication confidence.

Keywords

💡Personality

Personality refers to the unique set of characteristics, behaviors, and attitudes that define an individual. In the context of the video, it is the central theme as the script discusses how to describe one's personality in English. The script provides various examples and vocabulary to articulate one's traits, such as being 'open-minded' or 'goal-oriented'.

💡Vocabulary

Vocabulary in this video script pertains to the specific words and phrases needed to express oneself clearly and confidently in English. It is crucial for describing one's personality, as the script aims to enrich the viewer's lexicon with terms that can be used in personal or professional settings, such as 'introvert', 'extrovert', and 'conversationalist'.

💡Confidence

Confidence is a key concept in the video, as it relates to the assurance with which one presents their personality. The script emphasizes the importance of having the right vocabulary to speak about oneself with assurance, whether in social situations or job interviews. Phrases like 'I would say that I'm' and 'I'd describe myself as' are used to demonstrate self-assuredness.

💡Sentence Starters

Sentence starters are phrases used to initiate a response, especially when describing one's personality. The script provides dynamic sentence starters such as 'I would say that I'm' and 'I guess I'm', which are designed to help individuals begin their self-descriptions fluently and confidently.

💡Qualifiers

Qualifiers are words that modify the meaning of a statement, often indicating the degree to which something is true. In the script, they are highlighted as essential for discussing personality traits, as they can convey the intensity or certainty of a characteristic, for example, 'pretty reserved' or 'extremely reserved'.

💡Introvert

An introvert is someone who tends to be more comfortable and energized by solitude rather than social situations. The script uses this term to describe a personality type that prefers deep conversations and may be perceived as shy, contrasting with the extrovert who thrives in social settings.

💡Extrovert

Extrovert is a term used to describe individuals who gain energy from social interactions and are typically outgoing. In the script, it is presented as the opposite of an introvert, highlighting the difference in how people engage with their environment and others.

💡Wallflower

A wallflower is a term used in the script to describe someone who is shy or prefers to stay on the periphery of social gatherings. It is associated with introversion and contrasts with being the 'life of the party', indicating a preference for more intimate and meaningful interactions.

💡Goal-Oriented

Being goal-oriented means having a strong focus on achieving one's objectives. The script uses this term to describe a personality trait where individuals are driven by their aspirations and work systematically towards their goals.

💡Problem Solver

A problem solver is someone adept at finding solutions to issues or challenges. The script mentions this as a desirable personality trait, indicating that individuals who possess it are capable of addressing difficulties effectively and creatively.

💡Diplomatic

Diplomatic describes a person who communicates with tact and consideration for others' feelings. In the script, it is used to illustrate how one can approach sensitive conversations with respect and avoid causing offense, which is important for maintaining positive relationships.

💡Consideration

Consideration refers to the act of thinking carefully about the implications of one's actions on others. The script emphasizes the importance of being considerate in communication, especially when dealing with delicate matters, to ensure respectful and thoughtful interactions.

Highlights

Introduction to the importance of expressing personality in English for personal and professional situations.

The need for vocabulary to describe one's unique characteristics in English conversations or interviews.

Overview of dynamic sentence starters for personality-focused questions.

Explanation of the role of qualifiers in expressing the degree or strength of personality traits.

Discussion on the use of qualifiers to soften statements about less desirable traits.

Introduction of a list of common qualifiers used in describing personality.

Real-life examples demonstrating how to balance positive and negative personality traits in self-description.

Description of an introvert's preference for deep conversations and the misconceptions associated with introversion.

Analysis of the term 'wallflower' and its association with introverted behavior in social settings.

Explanation of the term 'conversationalist' and its distinction from dominating conversations.

Characterization of loyalty, determination, and goal-driven behavior with a positive spin on stubbornness.

Illustration of the adjective 'easygoing' and its implications for social interactions.

The downside of being perceived as not serious due to a jovial personality at work.

Description of reliability, hardworking, and diligent traits and their positive impact on work completion.

The desire to be an 'ideas person' and the self-perception as a doer rather than an innovator.

Emphasis on collaboration and generosity in the workplace as values that contribute to a successful team environment.

The use of 'pooling shared knowledge' as a strategy for collective success.

Directness in communication and its association with efficiency and respect in problem-solving.

The practice invitation for listeners to describe themselves or someone they know using the learned vocabulary.

Encouragement to engage with the Speak Confident English community and resources for further learning.

Transcripts

I've got a question for you. What are you like? What are you into?

How would you describe your perfect weekend?

How would you describe your work style?

Or how would you describe your attitude toward life?

How would you describe the way that you deal with others?

There's one thing all of these questions have in common:

a request to better understand you, your personality.

In both personal and professional situations,

it's not uncommon to have questions that seek to better

understand who you are,

and that means you'll need to have the right vocabulary in English to talk about

how you think, how you feel, how you act or behave.

If you've ever felt unsure of how to talk about your unique characteristics

in an English conversation, in a job interview,

or even on your social media bio, you're not alone.

That's why in this Confident English lesson today,

we're going to explore dynamic sentence starters,

rich personality-focused vocabulary and real-life examples,

so you know exactly how to describe who you are.

You'll be able to paint a vivid picture of your character.

That means that by the end,

you'll be a hundred percent ready with the words and the confidence you need to

say, this is who I am, this is what I'm about, even better.

Everything you learn here today is not only helpful to describe your own

personality, but to also describe the personality of others, your best friend,

your high school sweetheart, your family members,

or describing people at work.

Now, before we get there, if this is your first time here, welcome.

I'm Annemarie, an English confidence and fluency coach.

Everything I do is designed to help you get the confidence you want for your

life and work in English.

If you'd love to explore years of my Confident English lessons and get a

variety of free resources for me,

you can find all of that and more over at my Speak Confident English.com

website. Now, to navigate this lesson today,

there are three things I want to share with you. First,

we'll talk about some dynamic sentence starters.

These are sentence starters we typically use anytime someone asks a

personality-focused question. Then we're going to talk about qualifiers. Now,

if you're not sure what those are, don't worry.

We're gonna talk all about them and why they're so important when we're talking

about our character traits. And finally,

I've got six different stories or examples to share with you so

that you can see how we would approach talking about our personality

and balance the characteristics that we feel great about,

characteristics that we're proud of,

and those that we might feel a little bit hesitant about. So first,

let's get to some of these common sentence starters.

If in a job interview or in just a personal conversation, someone asks,

how would you describe yourself?

Here are a few ways you can begin sharing those unique qualities.

I would say, I would say that I'm, or if you're talking about someone else,

I would say that she's or he's, I would say that she's quite open-minded,

a second option. Some would say that I am,

but I think, or some would say that he's,

but I think for example, some would say he's rather strict,

but I think he's focused on being well organized to ensure

clarity in the office. Number three, I am,

I am a goal-oriented person. Next,

I have a good sense of, for example,

with strong listening skills,

I have a good sense of what people really need or really want,

which helps me in my sales position.

I'd describe myself as, or I'd describe her as,

I'd describe myself as a problem solver. I guess I'm,

I guess I'm pretty reserved at work. And finally,

I would like to think that this expresses something that you hope

is true about you.

I would like to think that I'm very sociable now in a moment as we

continue and I share real-life examples,

I will highlight the definitions of several vocabulary words I use,

but if you want to review them carefully,

you can find them all at this lesson over at my Speak Confident English website.

In addition to personality-focused vocabulary,

there's one other thing you heard me use in those example sentences.

Qualifiers are words that help us show to what degree something

is true or not true, or how strong something is.

It can also soften a statement. For example,

I might be extremely reserved at work or

somewhat reserved at work.

This indicates the level of strength for that particular characteristic.

One example I shared included, I guess I'm pretty reserved,

the words guess and pretty are both qualifiers.

The first ones signals a level of uncertainty.

It questions how true that is,

and the second one indicates the level of strength. Am I, again,

extremely reserved or pretty reserved in this context,

pretty does not mean something that is lovely to look at. Instead,

it means somewhat or rather quite, quite reserved.

Now, in a moment, I'm going to introduce you to several more qualifiers,

and I do want to share a note of caution here.

Qualifiers can be used to soften a statement,

and we tend to use them if there's a personality characteristic that we

are unsure of, or maybe it's one that we're not really proud of,

so we want to soften it a bit. If we overuse them,

they can also indicate a lack of self-confidence. For example,

if you are good at problem-solving, then say that you're a problem solver.

Don't say that you're kind of a problem solver.

It's okay to own your personality characteristics.

You'll see examples of this as we continue, but first,

here's a common list of qualifiers you might hear when someone's talking about

their personality. We've already discussed guess and pretty.

There's also very, quite rather, somewhat,

fairly, really a bit, a little,

a whole lot kind of and sort of let's take a look

at three quick sentences that highlight the use of qualifiers. Number one,

he's fairly quiet at work,

but he becomes rather talkative outside of the office. Number two,

she's pretty studious. She'll definitely do well in her exams.

And number three, I can be a bit moody, especially if I'm hungry. In fact,

I can get rather hangry sometimes.

Hangry is slang. It's a word that combines two words in English,

hungry and angry.

If you know anyone that typically gets rather irritable or angry

when they're hungry, this is a great word to use. Now,

telling someone that I am moody is something I may not be proud of.

So I'm using qualifiers to soften that statement with all of

that in place, those sentence starters and the use of qualifiers.

Let's take a look at six real life examples.

You'll see that each example clearly describes someone's personality,

balancing the positive and the negative,

while also including examples to explain a particular word choice.

As we go through these examples,

I want you to listen closely and begin to identify the words that describe you,

because of course, I've got a question for you to practice at the end.

Example, number one,

I guess the most important or the most obvious thing about me is I'm a bit

of an introvert. If I'm at a party, for example,

I'm always the wallflower,

but that doesn't mean I don't like being around people. I actually love it.

I thrive on deep conversations where I feel a strong connection with someone,

and I'd like to think I'm a good listener and a good

conversationalist. Let's talk about a few of those words.

You are probably familiar with the word introvert.

This describes someone who tends to need a lot of alone time.

They get their energy from being alone.

They can also be rather reserved in more social situations,

which leads others to describe introverts as being shy.

That isn't always true, but that is sometimes the perception that's there.

And of course, the opposite of an introvert is an extrovert,

someone who is highly social.

They get energy from being in social situations.

The word wallflower is a word that is also often associated with

being an introvert.

A wallflower describes someone who is typically shy in social

situations.

I always like to tell my students to imagine a party full of people.

And of course you have some individuals who are in the middle of everybody.

They're talking to, everyone laughing with everyone.

And then you have a few people who love to stay close to the walls.

They sort of stay in the background and they might talk with someone at length

and enjoy a very deep, meaningful conversation.

Those individuals are probably the wallflowers.

Another great word here is to thrive. To thrive on deep conversation.

To thrive means to prosper, to succeed, to shine.

And finally, I'd like to think I'm a good conversationalist.

A conversationalist is someone who enjoys and who contributes

to a conversation. Now,

it's important to not confuse this with someone who does all the talking.

Someone who does all the talking is not really a good conversationalist.

They are dominating the conversation.

They're not giving room for anyone else to participate.

A conversationalist does both.

They participate and they give opportunity for others to participate

as well.

That requires clear communication skills and fantastic listening skills.

Example number two, oh, that's easy. I'm super loyal,

determined, and goal-driven. I'll do almost anything to get what I want.

I suppose a lot of people would say I'm stubborn,

but I prefer to see the positive.

I'll always find a way or a solution that's not

only true for me, but for my friends and family as well. Well,

I'll do anything to help them out. Alright, here,

let's talk about that word determined.

This describes someone who has made a decision and has

resolved to find a way to reach a particular goal or to make that

decision happen. Now, as you may have noticed in the language here,

we associated determined with the word stubborn.

Stubborn tends to have a more negative connotation.

So the speaker used a qualifier to soften that

particular description and they added on their own way to think about that

particular word goal-driven, of course,

is someone who is motivated by goals.

They are focused on achieving their goals.

I mentioned a moment ago that stubborn is possibly

associated with words such as determined,

but it has a more negative connotation.

If someone is described as being stubborn,

they're unwilling to compromise or to do something in a

different way, they're unwilling to move. And finally,

I want to talk about the phrasal verb to help someone out.

When you help someone out,

you do something to make someone else's task,

job or life easier. And now example three.

I'd say I'm pretty easygoing and social.

I love to crack jokes to make people laugh at work.

I'm the guy that gets along with everyone and I feel good knowing other people

are comfortable around me. The downside of being that guy,

the life of the party guy, is that other people think I can't be serious.

I'm afraid my boss might think that actually. But when I need to,

I can be very focused. Here we've got the adjective easygoing.

This is used to describe someone who's friendly and relaxed.

You never really see them get stressed out or frustrated.

And if someone likes to crack jokes, they like to tell quick,

witty jokes.

They're very fast with making quick funny replies.

The phrasal verb to get along with someone means that someone is able

to be on friendly terms with other people very easily.

And finally,

this particular individual described himself as a life of the party

kind of guy. If you describe someone as being the life of the party,

this idiomatic expression indicates that someone is super sociable and

makes sociable events very fun.

They're likely at the center of everything.

And now let's move on to example number four.

I think others would say I'm very reliable, which I like.

I do like to take care of problems and help others.

And I'd also say I'm hardworking and diligent.

I feel great when I complete a project at work. And I know I've done it well.

Sometimes I wish I were more of an ideas person,

but I guess I'm the person who will get things done.

Let's start with the word reliable.

Someone who is reliable is someone that you can expect to get things done,

to get them done on time and with an appropriate result.

You might also describe someone who is reliable as dependable or responsible.

The phrasal verb used here to take care of means to be

attentive to or to do things that address the needs

of other people. If you take care of a friend, for example,

you're helping to meet the needs of that particular friend.

Another great adjective we had here was diligent.

Someone who is diligent is focused,

steady and energetic in their efforts.

And finally, an ideas person.

This collocation or figure of speech would be used to describe someone who is

innovative, someone who is good at thinking of new ideas.

I'm curious if you've started to identify some words that might describe you as

well. If you have, keep taking those notes.

I've got a question for you at the end, but before we get there,

I wanna share two more examples with you. Example five,

I'm the kind of person who values collaboration and generosity,

especially at work. Rather than compete against my peers,

I prefer to pool our shared knowledge so that we succeed as a team.

This also leads to a more convivial and productive work environment.

In this example,

we were introduced to two nouns that highlight what someone

values, generosity and collaboration.

Collaboration is any time two or more people work together to achieve

something together.

And generosity is the act of giving, giving money,

giving time, giving effort,

and usually doing so in a way that is more than what was expected.

Then we had an interesting verb use to pool shared knowledge.

Now, I'm sure you're familiar with a pool,

a pool that people swim in Here,

the verb form takes on a very different meaning.

To pool means to put things together,

to put money together or ideas together in a way that can be shared

among a group of people or with a cause. For example,

someone might pool money in order to give to an organization.

The collocation, shared knowledge, as you might expect,

is knowledge that is shared, divided, experienced,

or felt among a group of people, not just by one.

And finally, convivial can be used to describe an individual,

a situation or an atmosphere,

and it indicates that someone is friendly or welcoming or that that

particular situation is friendly and welcoming.

And now our final example,

I've heard others say that I'm rather direct, and I suppose they're right,

although I might prefer to say I'm efficient with problem solving.

I'm not afraid of tough conversations,

and I'll get straight to the point when I need to. That said,

I aim for a diplomatic approach to delicate conversations,

communicating with respect and consideration.

The adjective direct is used to describe someone who says what they

think in a very honest way.

And without worrying about other people's opinions,

we often associate the adjective direct with the language

to get straight to the point.

This idiom means to communicate in a way that gets to the most important

or the most crucial part immediately.

They don't waste time with small talk or other details.

They go right to the core of the matter.

Here we also have the adjective efficient,

which can be used to describe a person, a process, a system, a machine.

And it means that that individual or that process

works quickly and it works well. Lastly,

we had the words diplomatic and consideration. The adjective.

Diplomatic is used to describe someone who speaks and acts in a way

that doesn't cause any offense.

It's very soft language. And finally,

to do something with consideration means to do something with a lot

of thought, to do it very carefully. Now, as you might guess,

it's time for you to practice,

and I would love for you to take into consideration all the words that you've

learned in this lesson today. Identify a few that describe you.

Imagine for example, you are at a party, you meet a friend of a friend,

and during some conversation you start to have some connections.

Someone gets curious and they say, so tell me about you.

What are you into? What are you like?

Or perhaps you're at a job interview in English, and the interviewer asks,

how would your coworkers describe you? If you want,

you can share your examples with me in the comments below.

And if you're not comfortable describing yourself,

you could also describe someone you know, consider a coworker or a friend. Now,

if you choose that option, please don't share any names.

We want to respect privacy,

so you can simply refer to a friend of mine or a coworker of mine.

With that, if you've found today's lesson helpful to you, I would love to know.

As always, you can tell me in a few simple ways. Number one,

give this lesson a thumbs up here on YouTube and share a comment with me below.

Number two,

make sure you subscribe to my Speak Confident English Channel so you never miss

one of my Confident English lessons. And finally,

go on over to my Speak Confident English website,

review the lessons I have available, the free resources you can download.

And I recommend that you get my in-depth fluency training called

How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want In English.

Thank you so much for joining me, and I look forward to seeing you next time.