MODE 1 (The Foundation): Describing People with ‘To Be’

In Mode 1, we use only the verb ‘to be’ (am, are, is, was, were, will be) to describe people’s appearance and personality. We focus on states and descriptions, not actions. Remember, NO action verbs allowed here!

Appearance Vocabulary (Mode 1)

• Height: tall, short, medium height
• Build: thin, slim, average build, heavy, muscular
• Hair: long, short, curly, straight, dark, blonde, red, brown, bald
• Eyes: blue, green, brown, dark
• Age: young, old, middle-aged
• Other: beautiful, handsome, pretty, attractive, wearing glasses, clean-shaven, bearded

Personality Vocabulary (Mode 1)

• General: kind, friendly, shy, outgoing, polite, rude, funny, serious, intelligent, quiet, loud, patient, impatient
• Positive: optimistic, generous, honest, brave, calm
• Negative: pessimistic, selfish, dishonest, anxious, angry

Examples (Mode 1: Appearance)

• Present: “She is tall and is wearing glasses.”
• Past: “He was very young in that photo.”
• Future: “They will be quite tired after the long trip.”
• Present: “My brother is bald now, but he was not bald before.”

Examples (Mode 1: Personality)

• Present: “My friend is very outgoing and friendly.”
• Past: “He was quite shy when he was a child.”
• Future: “I think she will be a great leader because she is intelligent.”
• Present: “They are always very patient with their students.”

Practice (Mode 1)

Complete the sentences using a form of ‘to be’ and an adjective:

1. My teacher _____ very patient. (present)
2. The man in the red shirt _____ tall. (present)
3. Before, she _____ quite shy. (past)
4. Next year, he _____ an old man. (future)
5. They _____ very tired after the party. (past)

MODE 2 (The Flow): Describing Ongoing States and Actions

In Mode 2, we combine ‘to be’ with the -ing form of verbs. This mode helps us describe temporary appearances, ongoing actions related to appearance, or current behaviors that reflect personality. It focuses on what is happening right now, was happening, or will be happening.

Appearance & Personality Vocabulary (Mode 2)

• Actions related to appearance: wearing, carrying, standing, sitting, smiling, laughing, frowning, walking, talking
• Temporary personality traits: being (polite, rude, funny, quiet)

Examples (Mode 2: Appearance)

• Present Continuous: “She is wearing a beautiful blue dress.”
• Past Continuous: “He was carrying a big bag when I saw him.”
• Future Continuous: “Tomorrow, she will be standing near the entrance.”
• Present Continuous: “The baby is smiling at everyone right now.”

Examples (Mode 2: Personality)

• Present Continuous: “He is being very quiet today, which is unusual for him.”
• Past Continuous: “They were being incredibly generous with their time last week.”
• Future Continuous: “If you ask him a question, he will be listening carefully.”
• Present Continuous: “She is being quite charming at the party.”

Practice (Mode 2)

Complete the sentences using the correct continuous form of the verb in parentheses:

1. Look! The woman _____ (wear) a yellow hat. (present)
2. Yesterday, he _____ (laugh) loudly at the joke. (past)
3. Tomorrow, they _____ (wait) for us at the cafe. (future)
4. Why _____ he _____ (be) so unfriendly this morning? (present)
5. The children _____ (play) quietly in the garden when their parents arrived. (past)

MODE 3 (The Perspective): Describing General Habits and Facts

Mode 3 uses simple tenses (Present Simple, Past Simple, Future Simple) to describe general facts, habits, or regular actions that reflect someone’s appearance or personality. We clearly show the difference between Declarations, Affirmations, Negations, and Interrogations.

Appearance & Personality Vocabulary (Mode 3)

• Appearance Verbs: have (for hair/eyes), wear (for clothes/accessories), prefer, look (like)
• Personality Verbs: help, talk, listen, work, tell (jokes), smile, get (angry/happy), show (kindness)

Examples (Mode 3: Appearance – Present Simple)

• Declaration: “She has long, dark hair.”
• Affirmation: “She does have long, dark hair.” (For emphasis or confirmation)
• Negation: “She does not have short hair.”
• Interrogation: “Does she have long hair?”

Examples (Mode 3: Personality – Past Simple)

• Declaration: “He always helped his friends.”
• Affirmation: “He did help his friends, even when it was difficult.”
• Negation: “He did not talk much in class.”
• Interrogation: “Did he tell funny stories?”

Examples (Mode 3: Habits – Future Simple)

• Declaration: “She will wear a suit to the interview.”
• Affirmation: “She will indeed wear her best suit.”
• Negation: “He will not forget his manners.”
• Interrogation: “Will they show kindness to strangers?”

Practice (Mode 3)

Change the following Declarations into Affirmations, Negations, and Interrogations:

1. Declaration: “They speak French fluently.”
   • Affirmation: ________________________
   • Negation: ________________________
   • Interrogation: ________________________
2. Declaration: “He wore glasses last year.”
   • Affirmation: ________________________
   • Negation: ________________________
   • Interrogation: ________________________

MODE 4 (The Completion): Describing Past Experiences with Current Relevance

Mode 4 uses perfect tenses (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect) to describe actions or states that have been completed at a specific point in time, often with a connection to another time. This mode helps us talk about changes in appearance or development of personality over time.

Appearance & Personality Vocabulary (Mode 4)

• Verbs of change: change, grow, lose, gain, cut, dye, become
• Verbs of experience: learn, experience, develop, overcome, realize

Examples (Mode 4: Appearance – Present Perfect)

• “She has changed her hair color many times.” (Still relevant now)
• “He has lost a lot of weight since last year.” (Current appearance is a result)
• “They have worn similar clothes for years.” (Ongoing habit leading to current state)

Examples (Mode 4: Personality – Past Perfect)

• “He had always been very shy before he moved to a new city.” (Shyness ended before moving)
• “By the time she met him, she had developed a very strong personality.” (Development completed before meeting)
• “They had learned to be patient after many challenges.” (Patience acquired before a specific past event)

Examples (Mode 4: Future Perfect)

• “By next year, she will have grown her hair very long.” (Hair will be long at that future point)
• “By the end of the course, he will have become much more confident.” (Confidence will be achieved by then)
• “They will have learned to be more understanding by the time the project finishes.” (Understanding achieved in the future)

Practice (Mode 4)

Complete the sentences using the correct perfect tense form of the verb in parentheses:

1. He _____ (grow) a beard, so he looks different now. (present perfect)
2. Before the party, she _____ (change) into a beautiful dress. (past perfect)
3. By their graduation, they _____ (become) very close friends. (future perfect)
4. My sister _____ never _____ (dye) her hair. (present perfect)

MODE 5 (The Strategy): Modals and WH-Questions

Mode 5 allows us to add nuance, possibility, necessity, and to ask for specific information about people’s appearance and personality. We use modal verbs and WH-questions to achieve this.

Modals for Describing People

• Can / Could (Ability/Possibility):
  • “He can run very fast.” (Ability)
  • “She could be a little shy sometimes.” (Possibility)
• Should (Advice/Recommendation):
  • “You should always be polite.” (Personality)
  • “He should wear something warmer.” (Appearance)
• Will / Would (Future/Habit/Polite Request):
  • “She will always help a friend.” (Personality, habit)
  • “He would always smile when he saw us.” (Past habit)
• May / Might (Possibility):
  • “He may be tall, but he’s not very strong.” (Appearance)
  • “She might be feeling quiet today.” (Personality)
• Must (Necessity/Strong Deduction):
  • “You must be patient when teaching.” (Personality, necessity)
  • “He looks very tired; he must have worked all night.” (Deduction about state/appearance)

WH-Questions for Describing People

• Who: “Who is the woman with the curly hair?” (Asking about identity based on appearance)
• What: “What does she look like?” (Asking for general appearance)
  • “What is his personality like?” (Asking for general personality)
  • “What kind of clothes does he prefer?” (Asking about preference related to appearance)
• Where: “Where does he get his clothes?” (Less direct, but related to appearance)
• When: “When did she get that new hairstyle?” (Timing of an appearance change)
• Why: “Why is he always so cheerful?” (Reason for a personality trait)
• How:
  • “How tall is he?” (Specific measurement of appearance)
  • “How friendly is your neighbor?” (Degree of personality trait)
  • “How often does she wear bright colors?” (Frequency of appearance choice)

Practice (Mode 5)

A. Use a suitable modal verb to complete the sentences:

1. He looks very muscular; he _____ exercise a lot. (strong deduction)
2. You _____ try to be more open-minded. (advice)
3. She _____ be a bit shy when you first meet her. (possibility)
4. My grandmother _____ always tell us funny stories. (past habit)

B. Ask a WH-question for the underlined part of the answer:

1. Q: _________________________?
   A: She is tall with long blonde hair.
2. Q: _________________________?
   A: He is kind and very intelligent.
3. Q: _________________________?
   A: The man wearing the blue shirt is my boss.

Join Mr. Ramirez for personal, in-person classes via Zoom every Saturday at 7:00 PM Pacific time. Visit ESL Online for more lessons!