Languages › English as a Second Language Overview of Vocabulary Describing Physical Characteristics Share Flipboard Email Print Westend61 / Getty Images English as a Second Language Vocabulary Basic Conversations for English Language Learners Pronunciation & Conversation Writing Skills Reading Comprehension Grammar Business English Resources for Teachers By Kenneth Beare English as a Second Language (ESL) Expert TESOL Diploma, Trinity College London M.A., Music Performance, Cologne University of Music B.A., Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music Kenneth Beare is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and course developer with over three decades of teaching experience. our editorial process Kenneth Beare Updated April 28, 2019 These words are used when describing people and their physical characteristics, including nouns and adjectives. Each word is placed into a related category and example sentences are used to provide context. Age baby - Everyone goes through a lot of diapers when they are a baby.toddler - Toddlers take their first steps around the age of two.child - Having a child is one of the great joys in life.teenager - Many teenagers have to deal with a lot of stress because of testing.teens - I played a lot of sports in my teens.thirties/forties/ fifties - Most people have settled down by their forties.young man/woman - That young man was very kind and gave me directions.youth - We need to develop some more sports programs for the youth. middle-aged (man/woman) - That middle-aged man asked me for directions.elderly (man/woman) - Take time to listen to an elderly woman. She'll teach you a lot.early /mid/late - He looks like he's in his mid-twenties.about - She's about thirty years old.thirtysomething - She told me that she's thirtysomething. Describing How People Look / Seem good-looking - He's a good-looking doctor with a wife and two kids.beautiful - The beautiful actress turned to the cameras with a glowing smile.pretty - He fell in a love with a pretty girl from Las Vegas.cute - That guy is really cute! What's his name?handsome - The handsome actor was famous for his love of riding horses.glamourous - The glamorous couple climbed onto their private jet and flew to Paris.elegant - She's an elegant woman with lots of poise.sophisticated - He was a sophisticated man who enjoyed many different hobbies.ugly - I look so ugly today! Why don't these pimples go away!hideous - I haven't slept in three days. I must look hideous.unsightly - He's worried that the scar is unsightly. Build fat - Unfortunately, Peter has become rather fat in his old age.overweight - Many Americans are overweight these days.slim - He's that slim guy standing next to Peter over there.thin - Angela is tall, thin and very beautiful.skinny - Many people might say that models are skinny these days. That's very different from being slim.plump - If you drink a lot of beer, you'll certainly become plump.stocky - He's a tall, stocky guy that looks like a lumberjack.well built - Todd is very well built and looks great in a suit. Complexion pale - If you spend too much time indoors, you might become very pale.tan - After two weeks on the beach, he was very tan.clear - I was happy that I finally had a clear complexion when I become twenty.good - He has good skin. I think he'd make a great model.spotty - Older people often have spotty skin on their hands.pimpled - I walked through the crowd of pimpled teenagers and knew I was in the wrong place!freckles - The freckles on your cheeks make you so cute!spots - I can't get rid of these spots on my hands.pimples - I had so many pimples when I was a teenager. It drove me crazy! Facial Features on Men mustache - Curly mustaches are coming back into fashion in places like Portland.clean-shaven - Most men in this city prefer a clean-shaven look these days.beard - Some men wear a beard because they're lazy and don't want to shave. Hair long - Alice has long blonde hair.short - I like to wear my hair short during the summer.shoulder length - She has beautiful black shoulder-length hair. She looks like a movie star.black / red / brown / grey / silver - Tom has thick black hair.blonde - Hollywood tends to prefer blonde women for certain types of roles.brunette - I have brunette, shoulder-length hair.white - He's gone complete white in his old age.curly - She likes to wear her hair curly.spiky - Some punks like to wear spiky hair.