Topic Vocabulary & Exercises
8. Personality
VOCABULARY
Audio File
Topic Vocabulary:
a heart of gold (idiom)
Definition: A kind, generous, and compassionate nature.
Example: She has a heart of gold, and will always help a friend in need.
approachable (adjective)
Definition: Easy to talk to or approach, often used to describe people who are friendly and welcoming.
Example: The new boss was very approachable and made it easy for employees to share their concerns with him.
assertive (adjective)
Definition: Confidently expressing yourself and your needs.
Example: Sarah was assertive and could often win over other team members to her point of view.
boisterous (adjective)
Definition: Being noisy, energetic, and lively in a way that grabs attention.
Example: The children were boisterous, running around and laughing loudly in the playground.
callous (adjective)
Definition: Emotionally insensitive and not caring about others’ feelings.
Example: She made fun of his problems, showing a callous attitude.
come across as (phrasal verb)
Definition: To give a certain impression or appear in a particular way to others.
Example: Maggie comes across as confident and approachable, making others feel comfortable around her.
determined (adjective)
Definition: Having a strong sense of purpose and the willpower to pursue one's goals despite challenges.
Example: Mike was determined to get a promotion.
go out of your way (idiom)
Definition: To make an extra effort or to do more than is expected or required.
Example: He went out of his way to make sure we had everything we needed.
insecure (adjective)
Definition: Feeling unsure or lacking confidence in oneself or one's abilities.
Example: He felt insecure about speaking in front of the class.
insincere (adjective)
Definition: Not being genuine or honest in what one says or does, often displaying false emotions or intentions.
Example: Sarah's apology seemed insincere as she avoided eye contact and had a forced smile.
integrity (noun [u])
Definition: Being honest, doing what is right, and being a person others can trust.
Example: Tom demonstrated his integrity by returning the lost wallet he had found.
laid back (adjective)
Definition: Relaxed and unconcerned; having a calm and easy-going attitude.
Example: He's a great travel companion because he's really laid back.
outgoing (adjective)
Definition: Referring to an individual who is social, talkative, and enjoys interacting with others.
Example: The outgoing child quickly made friends in her class.
perseverance (noun [u])
Definition: The act of persisting and working hard without giving up, even in the face of challenges.
Example: Despite facing numerous obstacles, John's perseverance enabled him to succeed.
resilient (adjective)
Definition: Being able to deal with problems and recover from difficult situations or setbacks.
Example: After facing a major setback, Lisa demonstrated resilience by continuing to pursue her dream.
see eye to eye (idiom)
Definition: To agree with or have the same opinion as someone else on a particular matter.
Example: My father and I don't see eye to eye on politics.
self-esteem (noun [u])
Definition: How one feels about oneself and one's abilities.
Example: Low self-esteem can negatively impact one's mental health and relationships with others.
self-motivated (adjective)
Definition: Having the ability to drive oneself and achieve goals without needing outside motivation or rewards.
Example: Laura is highly self-motivated, setting goals for herself and working hard to achieve them.
sympathetic (adjective)
Definition: Showing or feeling concern, compassion, or understanding towards others.
Example: Jane showed her sympathetic nature by really supporting her friend while she was getting divorced.
take after (phrasal verb)
Definition: To have similar traits, behaviours, or characteristics to a family member, especially a parent or relative.
Example: Sarah really takes after her grandma with her love for gardening.
tolerance (noun [u])
Definition: Accepting and respecting others, even if they are different from you or have different opinions.
Example: I grew up in an open-minded family, where tolerance was really valued.
Exercise 1:
Are the adjectives in bold the following sentences used correctly? If not, give a more appropriate adjective.
1. She’s very outgoing and hates to meet new people.
2. He needs to be more assertive if he wants to convince others to follow his plan.
3. My friend James is famously laid back and gets angry all the time.
4. I’m never sure what my boss really thinks because she’s so sincere.
5. At university your teachers and parents won’t push you to work hard so you need to be self-motivated.
6. The boisterous children quietly sat and listened to the teacher reading.
7. I’ve always had a problem with feeling secure. I never feel really confident about myself or my abilities.
Exercise 2: Gap-fill Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate vocabulary word from the list provided.
1. Despite facing numerous challenges, she displayed remarkable ___________ and continued to pursue her goals.
2. He always ___________ to help others, showing kindness and generosity.
3. She has an ___________ personality, making it easy for people to come to her with their concerns.
4. The teacher appreciated the students who were ___________ to do well in their final exams.
5. They never seem to ___________ and often have disagreements due to their differing opinions.
6. His ___________ is evident in the way he handles difficult situations with grace and strength.
7. It's important to treat others with ___________ and respect their differences.
8. He went for counselling after the divorce as his self-esteem was very low.
Exercise 3: Matching Exercise
Match the vocabulary with their corresponding definitions below.
1. a heart of gold
2. approachable
3. assertive
4. boisterous
5. callous
6. come across as
7. determined
8. go out of your way
9. insecure
10. integrity
11. laid back
12. outgoing
a. to make a special effort or go above and beyond what is expected
b. being strongly focused on achieving a goal
c. to appear or give the impression of being a certain way
d. a warm and compassionate nature
e. being noisy and energetic in a way that grabs attention
f. friendly and easy to talk to
g. lacking confidence and having a negative view of oneself
h. harsh, insensitive, and unfeeling
i. bold and confident in expressing one's opinions
j. the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
k. easygoing and relaxed in attitude
l. sociable, talkative, and enjoying interacting with others
Vocabulary Answer Key:
Exercise 1:
1. Incorrect (introverted/ antisocial/ shy), 2. Correct, 3. Incorrect (moody/ bad-tempered), 4. Incorrect (insincere), 5. Correct, 6. Incorrect (quiet/ relaxed/ calm), 7. Incorrect - insecure
Exercise 2: 1. resilience, 2. goes out of his way, 3. approachable, 4. determined, 5. see eye to eye, 6. integrity, 7. Tolerance, 8. self-esteem
Exercise 3: 1d, 2f, 3i, 4e, 5h, 6c, 7b, 8a, 9g, 10j, 11k, 12l