Personality

Personality adjectives beyond nice and friendly

A describing personality ESL lesson plan works best when students describe real people they know, not characters from a textbook. Personality Types starts at A1-A2 with a simple theory that sorts people into four animal types, so even beginners have a reason to use new adjectives. Aspirations in Life gets A1-A2 students talking about what they want to achieve, which shows a lot about character.

At B1-B2, Pet Peeves asks what drives students crazy, from voice messages to unsolicited advice, and the answers say as much about personality as any list of adjectives. At B2-C1, Weaving words compares biographical texts and how their language presents a person's identity and achievements. Each personality adjectives ESL lesson plan on the page builds the same skill: choosing the precise word instead of the safe one.

Personality types, tests and introverts

Personality types are a good topic for adults because everyone has taken a quiz at some point and has an opinion about it. These lessons take that opinion and turn it into a discussion:

Personality Types works as a personality types ESL lesson for lower levels, and Personality Tests is a personality test ESL lesson that looks at the evidence behind workplace tests. Both work as a personality traits ESL lesson plan for groups who like to argue. More lessons about skills at work are on the work and jobs page.

Tests are a good way into the topic, but they work best when students question them. Ask the group whether their result felt true, which part was wrong and what the test could never measure. That turns a quiz into a describing personality ESL lesson plan with real argument, and it gives students a reason to use the new adjectives about themselves.

First impressions and how others see us

How we see ourselves and how others see us are rarely the same. First Impressions asks A2-B1 students to test their intuition on strangers, and Not Fitting In looks at why belonging to a group matters so much. Life-Changing Experiences, the most popular lesson on the page, uses the present perfect and past simple to talk about moments that changed who students are.

At B2-C1, Dear Teenage Me looks back at the teenage years, and Perfectionism weighs the advantages and disadvantages of wanting everything to be perfect. For more lessons about first impressions and dating, see the family and relationships page.

These lessons also work well before a course on writing or interviews, because students learn to describe a person in a way that is fair and precise. Ask them to write a short profile of a friend, then read it to a partner who has to guess what the friend is like.

Describing appearance

Describing people often starts with how they look. The worksheet Describing People teaches 14 words for physical appearance, from tall and slim to a beard and glasses, and shows when to use is and when to use has. For a describing people ESL lesson plan at B1-B2, the free Freckles, Curls, and More goes further, with precise words for faces and hairstyles.

Appearance can be a sensitive topic, so practice it with photos of famous people or characters rather than classmates. Students get all the vocabulary they need, and no student in the room becomes the example.

Conversation questions about personality

These personality traits ESL conversation questions go from easy to B2:

1. How would your best friend describe you in three words?
2. Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
3. Which personality trait do you admire most in other people?
4. What is one of your pet peeves?
5. Have you changed a lot since you were a teenager?
6. Do you trust your first impression of people?
7. Have you ever taken a personality test? Was it right?
8. Is perfectionism a strength or a weakness?

Personality lessons FAQ

Which level should I start with?

A1-A2 students can start with Personality Types or Aspirations in Life. From A2-B1, First Impressions and Life-Changing Experiences work well.

How do I keep the lesson from getting personal in a bad way?

Ask students to describe themselves or a famous person, not their classmates. Keep the focus on the language, and avoid ranking personality types as better or worse.

Are any of the lessons free?

Yes. Freckles, Curls, and More is free to try. The rest of the library comes with a subscription.

Is there a worksheet?

Yes. Describing People is a worksheet with answers, and every lesson has a printable PDF. Each describing personality ESL lesson plan also ends with a speaking task.

Every lesson on this page comes with a teacher subscription, together with the rest of the library.