physical appearance tch.pdf

Physical appearance (Upper-Intermediate)

Notes for the teacher

Aim

The aim of these vocabulary activities is to introduce between ten and twenty

useful vocabulary items for the level, with an emphasis on checking the meaning

and using the words and phrases. The students should be able to use the

language actively once they have completed the tasks.

The tasks are designed to help students match words to meaning, and to use

and personalise vocabulary. However, it is always a good idea to think about

which words your students will find difficult. If you have a monolingual class it is

easy to predict this, and think of check questions to make sure they understand

the words.

1 Start by putting up a picture of a very tall, thin person and a very short, fat

person on the board. Elicit as many words as you can to describe the people.

Then put the students in pairs to match the adjectives to the types of people.

Answers

a. a strong, thin man Î wiry

b. a small, thin woman Î petite slim/skinny

c. a tall, thin man Î lanky slim/skinny

d. a small, fat, strong man stocky Î well-built, chubby, overweight

(though these words don’t necessarily suggest strength)

e. an attractive woman with broad hips and a big bust Î curvy, shapely

slim/skinny slender

Note that slim has a positive connotation. Skinny has a negative connotation.

2 Put the students in pairs to describe which of the phrases suggest

a. a slim, strong man

b. b. a big, fat man

c. c. an attractive man (in your opinion)

Answers

He’s got slim hips and a narrow waist, He’s broad-shouldered, He’s got a

six pack, He’s long-legged.

He’s got a double chin, He’s got a pot belly

The students’ own ideas. However, the phrases in a. and He’s got high

cheekbones are usually considered attractive.

Note that a six pack means a strong, muscular stomach. It comes from the idea

of a ‘six pack’ of six cans of beer, which a muscularly developed stomach bears a

passing resemblance to.

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f. a tall, thin woman

3 Ask the students to work in pairs to decide on the difference between the

words.

Answers

a ponytail = long hair tied at the back

a pigtail

= hair tied at the side of the head (usually by young girls)

a goatee = a beard on the chin only

flat-chested =

used to describe a woman with small breasts

pigeon-chested = used to describe a man with a narrow, weak chest

broad-chested = used to describe a man with a wide, strong chest

bony = describes a part of the body on a thin person where you can feel

the bone, e.g. a bony elbow.

big-boned = used to describe a person with a naturally large frame

skin and bones = an expression to describe someone who is very thin

handsome usually describes men, gorgeous means very attractive,

attractive is a general word.

hunky = an informal way to describe a strong, attractive man

cute = very attractive – used to describe young children , but also used by

young women to describe young men they find attractive, (especially in

American English).

charming = used to describe a man who is polite and attractive in the way

he behaves.

4 Ask the students to read the descriptions of different people, then complete the

final sentence in the most appropriate way.

Answers

Students’ own ideas.

5 Ask the students to write a description of someone they know well, a friend or a

relative, whose appearance has changed. This could be set for homework.

6 Give the students a few minutes to think about the questions and prepare what

they are going to say. Then put the students in pairs or small groups to interview

each other.

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Using the Macmillan English Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and CD rom

If your students have access to the Macmillan English Advanced Learner’s

Dictionary and CD rom, set them the following quiz. They can find all the answers

by finding the key words ears and eyes , and following the various links.

Ears and eyes Dictionary Quiz

1 What’s an eardrum ?

2 Which is correct: lend an ear or lend an eye ?

3 If you keep an eye on someone, how do you feel about them?

4 What do you do if you play something by ear ?

5 What’s the difference between an eyeful and an earful ?

6 If something is very noisy is it earbashing or ear-splitting ?

7 What’s the difference between an eyebrow and an eyeball ?

8 If you are out on your ear , what does it mean?

9 If something catches your eye , do you like the look of it?

10 Does someone who is all ears have big ears?

11 If you don’t see eye to eye with someone, do you agree with them?

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