QUICK ENGLISH BOOST 🇬🇧 | Only FLUENT SPEAKERS Use These 12 English Adjectives!

Hi there. This is Harry and welcome back to my  advanced English lessons with Harry. And what  

we're going to talk to you about today  are actually adjectives. So the lesson  

today is based on adjectives. And these are  advanced adjectives that we use to describe  

people. Unusually now I have actually  12 not 10. I usually have a list of 10.

I don't know why I've got 12. So I'm going  to go down through the list of 12. Okay.  

That's called the 12 disciples.  Go down through the list of 12,  

and I'll go back through them individually  and give you an example. One by one.

Number one sensible. Well,  when somebody is sensible,  

they take the right approach to  something without taking risk.

It's sensible when you're standing at the  side of the road to look right and left,  

to make sure there's no traffic coming. Not  just walk across the road without having a  

care in the world. Okay, so you're sensible  about it. You're sensible in the way you  

approach the problem that your child might have  at school. So when he comes home and he's got a  

bloody nose or some little problem, he don't  run down to school shouting and screaming.

You sit down in a sensible way with him  and try to find out exactly what happened,  

and then try to find or think about the best  way to deal with the problem. And that would  

be sensible. He's very sensible. He doesn't  do things without thinking about the risk. He  

won't just run off with his friend and not tell  us where he is going is really, really sensible.

It's a sensible thing to do. So when a  sensible you take certain precautions,  

you don't do things just in a risky way. Okay,  

now sensible is the next word and so sensitive is  the next word. And these two words get confused,  

sensible and sensitive because in some languages  they actually have the same their words. So it's,  

it's, it's hard to distinguish but in  English sensible and also sensitive.

So when somebody sensitive their  feelings a little bit close to the  

surface. So if they get criticised they  get upset. If somebody shouts at them,  

they get upset or they see something unsavoury  on the TV or in a movie, they they might shed  

a tear about children that have been orphaned or  animals that have been badly treated. So they're  

very sensitive to those sort of situations  and therefore can be very, very emotional  

and emotional can be a word very synonymous  with and the whole idea of being sensitive to.

Now, we can also be sensitive to change, like my  nose can be very sensitive. Now when you go out,  

it's nice to breathe in deeply. But  within a day or two, my eyes are watching,  

my nose is running and I'm sneezing a  lot, so I'm very sensitive to the the  

change in the climate, particularly  in the spring into the early summer.

So yeah, that's about being sensitive in  that way as well. So just to make sure we  

understand the difference between sensible  doing things without taking risk sensitive  

where our emotions sometimes might take over,  and we can be a little emotional about things,  

particularly a criticism. Assertive.  So assertive when you make your point,  

you make it clear and you stick to it, and you're  not going to be easily persuaded or easily moved.

Competitive. Well, when you're competitive,  it means you you don't want to give in without  

a fight. Or if there's a game you want to  win or there's a challenge as you want to,  

to achieve it. Yeah. So competitive means  you don't just participate just for the sake  

of it or even just to have fun. So when we were  growing up as kids, we were always competitive.

Yeah, we always wanted to be the best. I grew  up, and I still am, of course, I'm a twin,  

and we were identical twins, so we were very  competitive. So if one did one thing, the other  

would want to do better. If one did better, the  other one would be want to be better again. So  

we were always in that competitive environment,  whether our parents did it deliberately or not.

I don't think they did. But, you know, one did  something. They would encourage the other one  

to do better the next time. So everything became  competitive. The game of football, the game of  

cards, the game of monopoly, whatever it might  be. Even the Easter, Christmas and summer exams  

at school also became competitive. So when you're  always thinking as a challenge, you always want to  

be doing your best or in fact winning, then you  could be described as being competitive. Greedy.

Greedy is when people want more than  they really need. So this is a good  

adjective to describe people. Greedy is often  referred to when we're talking about food,  

but it's not just about food. You know also  that the child who wants the extra biscuit  

or two can be greedy. Don't be so greedy,  you know, leave some for somebody else so  

they just stuff another biscuit to them  and they can hardly chew what they have.

So to be very greedy. But we can also be greedy  as adults. We want more money. We want a bigger  

house. We want more responsibility, want more  promotion, all of these things. This is an air  

of greediness that is crept into society.  So to be greedy is to want more than you  

actually need. Arrogant or arrogant is when  you walk around with an air of supremacy.

When you feel you are better than other people,  you look down your nose at people and try and  

let people know. You don't even have to try to  let people know that you think you are better,  

that your qualifications are better. You  do things better. Everything about you,  

you believe is better than the other people.  So you're somewhat arrogant approach. People  

don't usually like arrogant people, but in  certain professions it's often needed. Okay,  

so a little bit of arrogance is not such a  bad thing to have to. If you think you're the  

best and you believe you are the best, but you  actually can't be. You know, if you look at some  

of these footballers, they can be a little bit  arrogant, but they're really good footballers.

But you can see why, you know. So Ronaldo might  come across as a little bit arrogant. Why not?  

He's the best footballer in the world. And if you  enjoy the lesson then please like this video and  

subscribe to the channel because it really, really  helps. I would appreciate if you could do that for  

me, thick and thick is a word that we use to  describe somebody when they're a bit stupid.

Don't be so thick. Yeah, yeah. Oh, the  child is thick at times. I just wonder,  

would we ever get to it and will ever  understand simple mathematics? Okay,  

so thick is an adjective we use to describe  people a little bit stupid or don't understand  

something or ask stupid questions. That's a thick  question. It's really stupid question to ask.

Okay. So thick meaning a little bit stupid and  thick is like thick as wood. Yes. Or something  

really thick. Meaning you can't get through.  No, no. Is there anybody that know a little  

bit thick patch patronising. So when we talk  about patronising, the meaning of patronising  

is to treat somebody in a way that's patronising,  that you sound as if you're trying to be helpful,  

but in reality, you're just trying to  show that you know better than they do.

Okay. So with somebody might say, oh, don't be so  patronising. So you might say, okay, let me help  

you, and I can show you how to do it. After all,  I've been doing this for such a long time now,  

but I'll show to you and if you need any help,  I can show you again. So a real patronising way  

to give somebody some help rather than just say,  oh, yeah, if you need some help, give me a call.

So when you're being patronising, it's  usually where you're trying to sound or  

seem as if you're helpful, but in reality, you're  actually demonstrating that you are in some way  

superior to that person. So patronising. So  and you'll often hear it and they express,  

oh, I wish you weren't so patronising. No,  really? Really, I could do it on my own.

I don't need anybody else to help me. So  patronising. And then after patronising,  

we have obnoxious. Now be careful here  with the pronunciation. Obnoxious. Yeah,  

obnoxious. Obnoxious. Yeah, obnoxious.  So when somebody is obnoxious,  

they're really not very pleasant people.  Now, you can have an obnoxious smell,  

which is a terrible, terrible smell. You  come in and the smell of like, yeah, sulphur.

Something that would be obnoxious, or you come  in and that the cat's litter tray hasn't been  

cleaned out for 3 or 4 days. That would certainly  be obnoxious. But when we're using this as an  

adjective to describe people, that's usually  their habits or their behaviour is somewhat  

obnoxious. Perhaps it's the language they use that  every second word is f... this and f.... that.

Oh, I really don't like that person.  He's obnoxious. He's got no manners.  

He's rude. He doesn't close his mouth when he's  eating. He drinks his water or beer so quickly  

spills half it and he dresses like a pig. He's  obnoxious. So behaviour, habits that they're  

all described and define the person and the  adjective describes that person really well.

Obnoxious. An obnoxious individual.  Pretentious. Well, when somebody is  

pretentious, the meaning of it is that they  are trying to appear more important than,  

that position really is. Yes. So they're a little  bit pretentious. So somebody who's perhaps a  

junior manager or not even a manager adult acts in  a way that they might feel they're a manager, but  

there have been a little bit pretentious because  they're not really in that position of seniority.

Okay. So where they're trying to appear to  be better or more important than they are,  

and we often hear this expression a pretentious  snob. Okay. So somebody's trying to be really  

important, looking down the nose a little bit  at people, a little bit like arrogance. Yes,  

slightly like that, but somewhat pretentious.  Okay. And then we have them. What do we have?

Oh yeah. Ruthless assessment. Somebody is  ruthless and we describe them as ruthless.  

It means they make decisions without any  consideration for people's opinion. They're  

just interested in getting the job done  or they're getting whatever they want done  

that don't take into consideration  people's views or opinions. Let me  

give you an example. So a company is  going through a bad time trading wise.

They've got 120 people. And the directors  come down and talk to the CEO. And they tell  

him that we're going to have to go through  some sort of a redundancy program. You're  

going to have to get rid of 30 people.  They're going to have to get rid of 30  

people within the next month. Otherwise  you're going to have a serious problem.

So the CEO goes off and thinks about it  for a few days, has a look at the numbers,  

calls the staff together and tells them  that, tells them that we're going to have  

a redundancy program. And I'll be writing  to you next week and let you know who,  

has and who hasn't a job. And  there's no favouritism involved.

It's not a question of whether he likes  you, doesn't like you. The people who will  

stay of those people who are most needed,  and the people who will go are the people  

who are not needed. And that's a fact. There  would be no discussion about it. So when the  

letters issue the week later, he has selected  and has been very ruthless in his decision.

So 30 people have been selected. No negotiation,  no discussion. The terms have been offered for  

the redundancy program, but that's it. So it's  not a question of whether you're his favourite  

or not. He is absolutely ruthless in his choice of  those people who are going to be made redundant.  

So he doesn't care whether you've got two kids  at college, whether you've got a big mortgage.

He's making a decision in terms of the  security and the long term security of  

the business. So very, very ruthless  and absolute ruthless individual. And  

then finally somebody down to earth. Well,  when we describe somebody as down to earth,  

we mean he's very normal. He's very  matter of fact, he's got no errors and  

graces and he's somebody that will just  say what he thinks straight out, okay.

So he'd be upfront, he would be direct.  It'd be very frank and honest. And we  

would describe him as down to earth.  So what do you think of Patrick? He's  

a good guy. Yeah. When you get to know  him, he's really good. I mean, he's,  

he's he's not somebody who's got airs and  graces. He's not pretentious in any way.

In fact, if he doesn't like somebody or  something, he will tell them or tell you  

about that. So he's really down to earth.  Some people see that as a little bit too  

frank and being a little bit too honest,  but you know, it's better than the other  

way. At least you know where you are with  him. He's real down to earth character.

Okay, so as I said, we've got 12  adjectives. So let me just give  

them to you again on the list. Sensible,  sensitive. And be careful. Those two words,  

they do get confused as sensible and sensitive.  Assertive, competitive, greedy arrogant,  

sick, patronising, obnoxious. And  remember that pronunciation of noxious,  

pretentious and another one. You have to  be careful with the pronunciation, correct

Obnoxious. Pretentious. Pretentious.  Pretentious. Ruthless. And then down  

to earth. Down to earth. So again, to two  for the pronunciation. They're obnoxious,  

pretentious. You get the same sound at the  end. Just obnoxious. Pretentious. Okay.

All right, so there's your list of advanced  adjectives that we use to describe people. As  

always, I really appreciate you watching,  listening and understanding. Hopefully  

what I've said, you can try using some of  those to describe people that you know.

If you need any further examples,  you can come back to me at  

englishlessonviaskype.com. Always happy  to hear from you and as always, join me  

again in the future for more of our advanced  English lessons. This is Harry saying goodbye.