IELTS SPEAKING

TOPIC: PEOPLE
09.2021
THE COMBINATION OF …
APPEARANCE
 HEIGHT & SKIN & AGE
• He’s (very/quite) short / tall
• He's of average height (UK)
• He's of medium height (US)
• He’s (around/about) 175 centimeters.
• He’s in his teens
• She’s in her early twenties
• He’s in his mid thirties
• She’s in her late forties
• He’s middle-aged (aged about 45 to 65)
• She’s a senior citizen (aged 65 or older)
• He’s white / black / brown
• He has a fair complexion
• He has a dark complexion
• He’s got tanned (UK) / tan (US).
• She’s in her forties (to be aged
between 40 and 49)
• She’s 40 or thereabouts
• She’s 40 or so
• She’s 40 something
• She looks younger than she really is
• She doesn’t look her age
• She has a youthful looks
BODY FIGURES
LIGHTER HEAVIER FIT
• Slender • Curvy /ˈkɝː.vi/ (W) • In a good shape
• Slim (and toned)
• Curvaceous /kɝːˈveɪ.ʃəs/ (W) • Have a gorgeous/fine figure
• Lean
• Wiry /ˈwaɪə.ri/ • Womanly • Athletic /æθˈlet̬.ɪk/
• Petite /pəˈtiːt/ (W) • Voluptuous /vəˈlʌp.tʃu.əs/ • Medium-built
• Thin (W) = Hourglass figure • Well-built
• Slight • Plump /plʌmp/ • Muscly /ˈmʌs.li/ = Muscular
• Lanky /ˈlæŋ.ki/
• Chubby /ˈtʃʌb.i/ (C) /ˈmʌs.kjə.lər/
• Svelte /svelt/
• Overweight • Stocky: /ˈstɒk.i/ (M)
• Lithe /laɪð/
• Gaunt /ɡɔːnt/ • Large / Big / Heavy / Round • Brawny: /ˈbrɔ·ni/
• Underweight • Obese /oʊˈbiːs/ • Ripped /rɪpt/
• Skinny • Beefy /ˈbiː.fi/
• Stout /staʊt/
• Scrawny
• Paunchy /ˈpɔːn.tʃi/ (M) • Fit as a fiddle
• Bony
• Anorexia • Portly /ˈpɔːrt.li/ (M)
 BODY FIGURES
LIGHTER
• Slender: mảnh khảnh
• Slim (and toned): thanh mảnh và gọn
gàng = Lean = Wiry /ˈwaɪə.ri/
• Petite /pəˈtiːt/ (W): nhỏ nhắn
• Thin: gầy, ốm
• Slight: dáng gầy và mong manh
• Lanky /ˈlæŋ.ki/: lêu khêu
• Svelte /svelt/: thanh lịch
• Lithe /laɪð/: thanh mảnh và dẻo dai
• Gaunt /ɡɔːnt/: ốm (do đói ăn hay
bệnh tật)
• Underweight: nhẹ cân
• Skinny: ốm yếu
• Scrawny: gầy gò, khẳng khiu
• Bony: da bọc xương
• Anorexia /æn.əˌrek.si.ə: chứng biến
ăn
HEAVIER FIT
• Curvy /ˈkɝː.vi/ (W): có đường • In a good shape: dáng cân đối
cong =
Curvaceous /kɝːˈveɪ.ʃəs/ (W) • Have a gorgeous/fine figure: vóc dáng ưu
nhìn/đẹp
• Womanly: vóc dáng nữ tính
• Voluptuous /vəˈlʌp.tʃu.əs/ (W) • Athletic /æθˈlet̬.ɪk/: dáng thể thao
= Hourglass figure: dáng đồng hồ • Medium-built: có cơ bắp
cát
• Well-built: cơ bắp lực lưỡng
• Plump /plʌmp/: tròn trịa
• Muscly /ˈmʌs.li/ = Muscular
• Chubby /ˈtʃʌb.i/ (C): mũm mĩm
/ˈmʌs.kjə.lər/: đầy cơ bắp
• Overweight: thừa cân
• Stocky: /ˈstɒk.i/ (M): dáng bè bè chắc
• Large / Big / Heavy / Round
nịch
• Obese /oʊˈbiːs/: béo phì
• Brawny: /ˈbrɔ·ni/: cơ bắp cuồn cuộn/cắt
• Stout /staʊt/: phốp pháp
nét = Ripped /rɪpt = Beefy /ˈbiː.fi/
• Paunchy /ˈpɔːn.tʃi/ (M): bụng
bia • Fit as a fiddle
• Portly /ˈpɔːrt.li/ (M): bệ vệ
LIGHTER
• Slender/ Slim (and toned) can be used when someone is thin in an attractive way.
• If a person is thin and muscular, you can call them lean or wiry /ˈwaɪə.ri/. Wiry means thin but strong, and often
able to bend easily: E.g.: All the runners I know are quite lean and wiry.
• Petite: /pəˈtiːt/ If a woman is short and thin in an attractive way, you could describe her as petite. Petite is an
approving word. E.g:. She was a petite woman with long, blonde hair.
• Thin: with little flesh on the bones.
• Slight: thin and delicate.
• Lanky: tall and thin and often tending to move awkwardly as a result
• Svelte: /svelt/ attractively thin, graceful, and stylish
• Lithe /laɪð/, young, healthy, attractive, and able to move and bend smoothly
• If someone is svelte or lithe /laɪð/, they are thin in an attractive and often athletic way. It's no wonder he's so
svelte - he's a gymnast. The dancers were lithe and graceful.
• Gaunt: very thin, especially because of sickness or hunger:
• Underweight
• Scrawny: unpleasantly thin, often with bones showing: He came home after three months at college looking
terribly scrawny.
• Skinny or Scrawny are words that mean very thin and are usually used when you disapprove.
• Bony can be used about parts of someone's body when they are very thin.
HEAVIER
• Curvy: having a body with rounded parts, especially large breasts and hips = Curvaceous (W). The
famously curvy Marilyn Monroe.
• Womanly: physical features are ones that a woman is typically or traditionally thought to have. (W) =/=
boy-ish; feminine: having characteristics that are traditionally thought to be typical of or suitable for a
woman:
• Voluptuous: /vəˈlʌp.tʃu.əs/ curvaceous and sexually attractive (typically used of a woman). =/= feminine having
characteristics that are traditionally thought to be typical of or suitable for a woman. = Hourglass figure; dáng
đồng hồ cát
• Plump: having a soft, rounded shape; slightly fat; hơi tròn
• Chubby: (especially of children) fat in a pleasant and attractive way; mũm mĩm (C)
• Round / Overweight / Large / Big / Heavy
• Obese /oʊˈbiːs/ extremely fat in a way that is dangerous for health; béo phì
• Stout /staʊt/ fat and solid-looking, especially around the waist; phốp pháp, bệ vệ
• Paunchy: /ˈpɔːn.tʃi/ (especially of a man) having a fat stomach (M); bụng bia
• Portly: /ˈpɔːrt.li/ (especially of middle-aged or old men) fat and round (M); bệ vệ
FIT
• In a good shape / Have a gorgeous/fine figure.
• Athletic /æθˈlet̬.ɪk/: strong, healthy, and good at
sports; (vóc dáng) thể thao
• Medium-built: somewhat muscular; Well-built: large
and strong; vạm vỡ
• Muscly /ˈmʌs.li/ having a lot of well-developed
muscles = Muscular /ˈmʌs.kjə.lər/: đầy cơ bắp
• Stocky: /ˈstɒk.i/ A stocky person, especially a man,
is fairly short and has a body that is wide across the
shoulders and chest; bè bè chắc nịch
• Brawny: /ˈbrɔ·ni/ physical strength and big muscles;
• Ripped /rɪpt/ having strong, well-developed muscles
that can be seen through the skin; dáng cơ bắp, có
nhiều đường cắt nét
• Beefy /ˈbiː.fi/ A beefy person looks strong, heavy,
and powerful (INF)
• Fit as a fiddle
Svelte Lithe

Wiry Slim and toned

 HAIR
FAIR DARK LENGTH
White Mousy brown • Bald
Grey
Brown • Short
Platinum blonde
Blonde Brunette • A bob haircut
Golden Dark brown • Shoulder-length hair
Dirty blonde Black • Medium-length hair
Strawberry blonde
• Long hair
Ginger
Red
 HAIR COLOR
• mousy: a light, not very interesting
brown, used only about hair (tóc
màu tro)
• chestnut: a deep reddish brown,
used about hair and horses (màu hạt
dẻ) auburn
• auburn /ˈɑː.bɚn/: a red-brown bronze
colour, usually used about hair (màu
nâu đỏ)
• jet black: intensely black, used
about hair, eyes, etc. (jet is a black
semi-precious gemstone)(đen bóng) chestnut
• Bronze: between blond and dark
brown (màu đồng)
• Pepper-and-salt: a mix of gray,
silver, and black hair (tóc màu muối
tiêu) Pepper-and-salt Jet black
• Sandy: pale brownish-orange colour.

sandy
HAIR
BODY SHAMING
USING EUPHEMISMS
A 'euphemism' is an indirect way of talking about something that might be rude,
upsetting or taboo. We use euphemisms to make things sound better or, at least less
offensive.
• Short – Vertically challenged, petite
• Fat – chubby, curvy, curvacous
• Large – Big-boned
• Ugly – unattractive
• Old – (He/she’s) getting on a bit, (he/she’s) ageing.
• Black – dark complexion
• White – fair complexion
• Blind - Visual impaired
• Deaf - Hearing impaired
• Dead – pass away
 STRIKING FIGURES
Dáng vóc gọn gàng – gorgeous figure,
Thân hình rắn chắc – well-built, muscular, ripped
Làn da ngăm khỏe khoắn –healthy tanned skin, dark complexion
Vầng trán rộng – Wide forehead
Khuôn mặt chữ điền – square face
Khuôn mặt trái xoan – oval face
Đôi mắt bồ câu – cow eyes
Đôi mắt hút hồn – captivating eyes,
Sống mũi dọc dừa – straight nose, straight-edged nose
Má lúm đồng tiền – dimple cheeks
Cằm chẻ cá tính - cleft chin
Mái tóc ỏng á – silky hair, glossy hair
Nụ cười tỏa nắng – radiating smiles
Phong thái tự tin – charismatic style
Biết cách ăn mặc – stylish, have an eye for fashion, know how to mix and
match
PRACTICE – DESCRIBE PEOPLE IN THE
PICTURES
PERSONALIT Y
Match words from 1-12 to correct synonyms/phrases from A-L

1. Warm A. down-to-earth
2. Sociable B. diligent, a busy bee
3. Spend a lot of time on doing something C. warm-hearted, have a gold heart
4. Smart D. charismatic, magnetic, appealing
5. Attractive E. gregarious, a social butterfly
F. devoted (himself/herself) to something
6. Brave
G. quick-witted, shrewd, astute
7. easy-going
H. courageous
8. Likeable
I. laidback
9. Positive
J. a real chatterbox
10. Practical/realistic K. amiable
11. Talkative L. look on the bright side, one’s glass is half full
12. Hard-working
• My heroine was Mother Therasa. I admired her courage, her
dignity, and her humility. More than anyone, she inspired me to
devote my life to looking after people.
• I used to idolize David Beckham. I admire him for his
dedication and the fact that when the press had a go at him, he
was calm and never reacted in a negative way.
• I really looked up to my grandfather. He was a lifeboat captain for
20 years, and showed a remarkable bravery on my occasions. One
day I hope to follow in his footsteps.

Rewrite the sentences starting with the words given.

The meaning must stay the same.
I admired my father – I looked ………………
I want to do the same work as him – I want to follow
………………
Why did she criticize him - Why did she have ………………
He was dedicated to helping the poor. – He dedicated
………………
She inspired me – She was ………………
Paula worshipped him – He was ………………
PRACTICE
• Who do you idolize or look up to? Why?
• Would you like to follow in anyone’s footsteps?
• Do you know anyone who you would describe as:
– Courageous
– Dignified
– Humble
– dedicated?
CUE CARD 1
Describe one of your family members you spend the most time with
You should say:

Who this person is;

What kind of person he/she is;
What you usually do together;

And explain why you spend the most time with him/her.
A. confide in B. charismatic C. in her early sixties
D. a fine figure E. energetic F. turn to G. wrinkles

Today I’m going to talk about my mom – a person I spend the most time with. Although she was
already (1) …………. , she looked pretty much younger with (2) …………. and, surprisingly, not a lot of (3)
…………. and grey hair to be found. She really knows how to dress smartly, and that was why my dad fell
for her the very moment he laid his eyes on her when they were younger.

One of the things that most impressed me about her was the fact that she still remained perfectly (4)
…………. and (5) …………. , which was quite rare for elderly people at her age. That's why I really like
hanging out with my mom as if she were my best female friend. We do a lot of window-shopping every
weekend, and every once in a while, my mom and I go to the cinema for some musicals and romantic movies
we both love.

As a young woman myself, I often (6) …………. her whenever I have problems. Whether it
be trivial matters at work or big life decisions, I always (7) …………. her for advice. It is not an
overstatement to say that without her, my life would be a huge mess.
A. confide in B. charismatic C. in her early sixties
D. a fine figure E. energetic F. turn to G. wrinkles

Today I’m going to talk about my mom – a person I spend the most time with. Although she was
already (1) …… in her early sixties ……. , she looked pretty much younger with (2) …a fine
figure ………. and, surprisingly, not a lot of (3) …… wrinkles ……. and grey hair to be found. She really
knows how to dress smartly, and that was why my dad fell for her the very moment he laid his eyes on her
when they were younger.

One of the things that impressed me most about her was the fact that she still remained perfectly (4)
…… charismatic ……. and (5) …… energetic ……. , which was quite rare for elderly people at her age.
That's why I really like hanging out with my mom as if she were my best female friend. We do a lot of window-
shopping every weekend, and every once in a while, my mom and I go to the cinema for some musicals and
romantic movies we both love.

As a young woman myself, I often (6) ……confide in……. her whenever I have problems. Whether
it be trivial matters at work or big life decisions, I always (7) …… turn to ……. her for advice. It is not an
overstatement to say that without her, my life would be a huge mess.
CUE CARD 2 – FAMOUS PEOPLE
Describe your favorite celebrity.
You should say:
• Who this person is
• How this person became famous
• What this person’s life was like before he/she became famous
And exaplain why you like him/her.
USEFUL VOCABULARY
• Charismatic (adj): cuốn hút, lôi cuốn = appealing, magnetic, charming.
• Innate ability for leadership = Natural born leader: khả năng lãnh đạo thiên bẩm
• Come from humble beginnings: xuất thân từ hoàn cảnh nghèo khó
• Progress through the ranks of society: vươn lên các vị trí trong xã hội
• Social butterfly (n): người - thích gặp gỡ, dễ kết bạn = socially dynamic, gregarious.
• Warm-hearted (adj): kind and loving
• Philanthropist (n): /fɪˈlæn.θrə.pɪst/ a person who helps the poor, especially by giving them
money; người nhân đức
• Heart of gold: trái tim vàng, tử tế và hào phóng = kind and generous
• Devoted father (n): người cha tận tụy
• Loyal lover (n): người bạn đời chung thủy
A. charismatic B. social butterfly C. a heart of gold D. devoted father
E. came from very humble beginnings F. philanthropist G. innate ability for leadership

There are so many hardworking, dedicated, and thought-provoking famous people throughout the world.
It's difficult for me to pick just one. However, if I had to, I would choose Barrack Obama.
Mr. Obama was the former President of the United States of America. He originally (1) …………. - from
a very poor neighborhood in the United States. And with his (2) …………., he was able to progress through the
ranks of American society to ultimately get the number one job as the President.
He became famous by using a combination of incredible talents. Firstly, he's a very (3) …………. man
with the presence in the room unrivalled by anybody else. Secondly, he was very warm-hearted. He has (4)
…………. and you could see that through the relationships he had with people and with his family. Lastly, he is a
(5) …………., able work a room like nobody else and I admire him very much for that.
Mr. Obama is incredibly special because, firstly, he did .. was a (6) …………. and very devoted to charities
whether it be in the United States or throughout the world. Secondly, through his terms, two terms, as President,
he was able to make many positive changes to American society. For example leading to the creation of Obama
Care with which was enabling poor .. which enabled poor people to have opportunities to access health care.
Lastly, for me, on a personal level, he's special because of the way that he deals with his family. He's a (7) ………….
and a loyal husband and that's for me is an incredible two qualities to have, and two qualities I hope to have in my
life as well in the future.
That's why for me Barrack Obama is one of the most incredible and special celebrities in the world.
charismatic social butterfly a heart of gold devoted father
came from very humble beginnings philanthropist innate ability for leadership

There are so many hardworking, dedicated, and thought-provoking famous people throughout the world. It's difficult for
me to pick just one. However, if I had to, I would choose Barrack Obama.
Mr. Obama was the former President of the United States of America. He originally came from very humble
beginnings - from a very poor neighborhood in the United States. And with his innate ability for leadership, he was
able to progress through the ranks of American society to ultimately get the number one job as the President.
He became famous by using a combination of incredible talents. Firstly, he's a very charismatic man with the
presence in the room unrivalled by anybody else. Secondly, he was very warm-hearted. He has a heart of gold and you
could see that through the relationships he had with people and with his family. Lastly, he is a social butterfly, able to
work a room like nobody else and I admire him very much for that.
Mr. Obama is incredibly special because, firstly, he did.. was a philanthropist and very devoted to charities
whether it be in the United States or throughout the world. Secondly, through his terms, two terms, as President, he was
able to make many positive changes to American society. For example leading to the creation of Obama Care with which
was enabling poor .. which enabled poor people to have opportunities to access health care. Lastly, for me, on a personal
level, he's special because of the way that he deals with his family. He's a devoted father and a loyal husband and that's for
me is an incredible two qualities to have, and two qualities I hope to have in my life as well in the future.
That's why for me Barrack Obama is one of the most incredible and special celebrities in the world.
SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT
NEGATIVE POSITIVE
Impetuous – impulsive, sponteneous, (do something) on a whim
Taciturn, aloof, standoff-ish – reserved, shy, timid, diffident
Gullible – trusting
Naïve – innocent
Obstinate, stubborn, pig-headed – determinded
Cynical – skeptical
Shameless – Thick-skinned
Blunt/abrupt/brusque/curt – direct, frank, open
Nosy, inquisitive – inquiring, curious
Extravagent – generous
Garrulous – chatty, a real chatterbox, gregarious*
Pushy – ambitious
Aggressive, bossy – assertive
Eccentric, odd, peculiar, weird – unconventional, original
Arrogant, conceited, disdainful, full of oneself, self-important – self-assured, self-confident
Stingy, tight, tight-fisted, mean, miserly*, a cheapstake – thrifty, frugal, economical
Clever, quick-witted, shrewd, astute – foxy, cunning, sly, cratfy
Unprincipled, permissive – broad-minded