People & Personality: How Well Do You Know Yourself?

REVIEW

1. My sister and I are very different, but we ______ really well. a) get on     b) come across

2. We agree about most things, so we usually ______. a) see eye to eye     b) get on our nerves

3. He always does what he promises. He’s very ______. a) reliable     b) reserved

4. She’s very relaxed and doesn’t worry about small things. She’s ______. a) straightforward     b) easy-going

5. We enjoy many of the same things. We have a lot ______. a) in common     b) in personality

USEFUL LANGUAGE

TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF NATURALLY

We don’t always want to describe ourselves with a simple:

I’m shy.

I’m impatient.

I’m organised.

These phrases can make your answer sound more natural and less absolute.

I tend to be quite quiet in large groups.

I can be a bit impatient when I’m tired.

I wouldn’t say I’m shy, but I need time to feel comfortable with new people.

I’m not really the type to make plans weeks in advance.

It depends on the situation. At work I’m quite organised, but at home I’m much more relaxed.

PRACTICE – FINISH THE SENTENCES

1. I tend to ______________________________.

2. I can be a bit ______________________________ sometimes.

3. I’m not really the type to ______________________________.

4. I wouldn’t say I’m ____________________, but ______________________________.

5. One thing I’m good at is ______________________________.

6. When I’m with people I know well, I tend to ______________________________.

ARE YOU ALWAYS THE SAME?

Do these describe you always, sometimes or hardly ever? Explain your answer.

1. I like being the centre of attention.

2. I stay calm when something goes wrong.

3. I say what I think.

4. I worry about what other people think of me.

5. I change my plans easily.

6. I enjoy being around lots of people.

7. I need time alone after a busy day.

8. I find it easy to ask other people for help.

Try to use: I tend to… • I can be a bit… • It depends on the situation. • I wouldn’t say I’m…, but…

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS

1. Are you different at work and at home? In what way?

Example: Yes. At work I tend to be quite organised and serious, but at home I’m much more relaxed.

2. What are you like when you’re tired or stressed?

Example: I can be a bit impatient when I’m tired. I also tend to be quieter than usual.

3. What are you like when you’re in a group where you don’t know anyone?

Example: I tend to listen more at first. Once I feel comfortable, I become much more talkative.

4. What is one part of your personality that your close friends know but new people probably don’t?

Example: New people sometimes think I’m serious, but my close friends know that I have a silly sense of humour.

5. Is there something people sometimes misunderstand about your personality?

Example: Sometimes people think I’m unfriendly because I’m quiet. I wouldn’t say I’m unfriendly – I just need some time to get comfortable.

6. What is something you’re good at when dealing with other people?

Example: One thing I’m good at is listening. People often come to me when they need to talk about something.

7. Are you good at staying calm when something goes wrong?

Example: It depends on the situation. I’m usually calm when I can do something about the problem, but I worry when I can’t control it.

8. Do you behave differently with different groups of people?

Example: Definitely. I’m much more talkative with close friends than I am with people I’ve just met.

9. What part of your personality has changed the most as you’ve got older?

Example: I think I’m more confident now. I don’t worry as much about what other people think.

10. Is there one thing about your personality that you would like to change a little?

Example: I’d like to be more patient. I can be a bit impatient when things take longer than I expect.