Confusing Personality Adjectives Explained Clearly [8]

Hi there, this is Harry and welcome to my podcast where I try to help you to get a better understanding of the English language, where we do it through the use of expressions and idioms, phrasal verbs, and help to improve your grammar and improve your vocabulary. So what I'm going to talk to you now is about some adjectives, okay? But what we're going to use about are adjectives that are often confused, and these are personality adjectives. So what do we mean by personality adjectives?

Well, these are adjectives you use to describe perhaps somebody's personality. So we're going to study some of these and match the definition and the meaning so you know how to use them in the future. So we want to look at which adjective might have a negative meaning or which might have a positive meaning. So let's take the first two, lazy and easygoing. Okay, these often get confused, lazy and easygoing. So when we describe somebody as lazy or we describe them as easygoing, what does it mean?

So let me give you two sentences. And you can try and work out and I'll tell you which adjective goes with which sentence. So A, relaxed and happy to do whatever people want. Relaxed and happy to do whatever people want. And B, not liking to work or use your energy. Not liking to work or use your energy. So which is lazy and which is easygoing? Okay, well, hopefully you select lazy, matching with B, not liking to work or use energy. That's somebody who's lazy.

And easygoing, somebody who's relaxed and happy to do whatever people want. So easygoing is a positive and lazy is a negative. Okay, so positive and negative. Okay, let's try number two. So we've got two adjectives again, determined and stubborn. Determined and stubborn. So here are the two sentences. A, not letting, sorry, not letting anything stop you doing what you've have decided to do. Not letting anything stop you doing what you have decided to do.

Okay, that's A. And B, not willing to change your decision or consider anyone else's opinion. Okay, so which means determined and which means stubborn? Well, A, not letting anything stop you doing what you've decided to do is to be determined. I'm determined to finish this work. And B, stubborn, not willing to change your decision or consider anyone else's opinion. So when you're stubborn, you only want to consider your own view.

You're not willing, no matter how much you might be wrong, you're not willing to listen to another opinion. So stubborn will be negative and determined will be positive. Stubborn, negative, and determined will be positive. So we all know people who are stubborn and they're not willing to change their decision or consider anyone but themselves. And we know people who are determined, those people who won't let anything stop them doing what they've decided to do, real determination.

Okay, number three, two words, modest and shy. Modest and shy. So let me give you the sentences. Not feeling confident in the company of people you don't know. Not feeling confident in the company of people you don't know. And B, not wanting to talk about the things you do well. Not wanting to talk about the things you do well. So which is modest and which is shy? Okay, well, when somebody is modest, then they don't want to talk about the things they do well.

They're quite happy to keep a low profile, but they know they do it well. So they're not wanting to talk about the things they do well. So they are modest. And then somebody who is shy is someone who doesn't feel confident in the company of people they don't know. Someone who doesn't feel confident in the company of people you don't know. So which of those best represents you? Are you modest or are you shy? So neither of these really is a negative in my opinion.

Modest is much more positive because people and we often prefer people who are modest. But shy shouldn't be looked on as a negative, but I think it's probably neutral. Okay, so neither of them is negative, but shy is probably not the best position to be in because it stops you from going forward, stops you perhaps getting promoted, whereas modest is something everybody likes to see, modesty. And for those of you and your friends or family who want one-to-one lessons, well, you know what to do.

Just get in touch, www.englishlessonviaskype.com and you can apply for a free trial lesson and we'll be very happy to hear from you and very happy to help you. Okay, number four, two adjectives, sensitive and emotional. Sensitive and emotional. Okay, so here's the two sentences. Having intense feelings about things and showing them. And having intense feelings about things and showing them. That's A. And then B, being aware of your own feelings and other people's.

Okay, being aware of your own feelings and other people's. Okay, so which is sensitive and which is emotional? Well, when somebody is emotional, they usually have very intense feelings. So having intense feelings about things and showing them. So often somebody who's emotional shows them either by the way they react, tears or they shout, they scream or they get very emotionally involved. So they have intense feelings about things and they have no problem showing them. They can't stop it.

Whereas somebody who is sensitive is aware of their own feelings and of other people's feelings. So they are sensitive to other people's feelings. So emotional can be a little bit negative in certain circumstances, whereas sensitive is seen as something quite mature, quite positive, and one of those characteristics that people admire in others.

So being aware of your own feelings and other people's makes you sensitive, but having intense feelings and showing those intense feelings would demonstrate somebody who is quite emotional. Okay, and finally then we have two other and the two last adjectives arrogant and assertive. Arrogant and assertive. So here's your two sentences. Thinking you are better and more important than others. Thinking you are better and more important than others.

That's A. And then B, expressing your opinions and feelings in a confident way. Expressing your opinions and feelings in a confident way. Well, I know that I like people who are assertive. I like them to express their opinions and feelings in a confident way, to be assertive. I like to be assertive. And I don't like people who are arrogant. I don't like people who think they are better and more important than others. Most people don't like people who are arrogant.

So arrogant would be regarded really as a negative and assertive as quite positive. Okay, so assertive, think, sorry, expressing your opinions and feelings in a confident way, assertive, and then arrogant, thinking you are better and more important than others. Okay, so these are personality adjectives. Okay, they can often be confused. So let me give you the pairings again. Lazy and easygoing, lazy, negative, easygoing, positive.

Determined and stubborn, determined, positive, stubborn, negative. Modest, shy, modest, positive, shy, neutral, not negative. Sensitive and emotional. Sensitive, positive, emotional, somewhat negative. And then finally, arrogant and assertive. Arrogant, negative and assertive. Assertive, very definitely positive. Okay, so that's the podcast. And again, as always, thanks for listening. And if you wish to contact me, you can do so. And you can do it on www.englishlessonviaskype.com.

I'm always happy to hear from you. Always really happy to include any recommendations or comments that you want to include. Okay, well, as always, thanks for listening. And join me again soon.