Personality: More Traits — B1 Essential Words
Ten essential B1 words (Personality) with the complete apparatus: pronunciation, simple definitions, natural American examples, collocations, family, the common mistake and spoken usage — plus a 15-question practice quiz. Mark your status on every word.
lazy /ˈleɪzi/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Unwilling to work or use energy; preferring rest to activity. Also (of a period) slow and relaxed.
Example: He is too lazy to clean his room.
Another example: We spent a lazy Sunday at home.
Collocations: too lazy to · a lazy afternoon · lazy people
Synonyms: idle, inactive, slow
Antonyms: hardworking, energetic, active
Word family: laziness (n) · lazily (adv)
⚠ Common mistake: A lazy Sunday is praise; a lazy worker is not. The word judges people but forgives afternoons.
🗣 In spoken American English: 'Lazy eye' is a medical term hiding inside the insult.
Register: Neutral — personality essential.
strict /strɪkt/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Demanding that rules be followed exactly, and punishing those who break them; also (of rules) that must be obeyed exactly.
Example: Our teacher is strict about homework.
Another example: The school has strict rules.
Collocations: strict about · strict rules · a strict teacher
Synonyms: severe, firm, tough
Antonyms: lenient, easygoing, soft
Word family: strictly (adv) · strictness (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Strict parents/teachers/rules — the word grades by enforcement. 'Strictly speaking' narrows a statement to its exact truth.
🗣 In spoken American English: 'Strictly Ballroom' and 'Strictly Come Dancing' made it sparkle on TV.
Register: Neutral — personality essential.
easygoing /ˌiːziˈɡəʊɪŋ/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Relaxed and not easily worried or annoyed; happy to accept things as they are.
Example: My dad is easygoing about noise.
Another example: She's easygoing and great to travel with.
Collocations: easygoing about · an easygoing person · easygoing nature
Synonyms: relaxed, laid-back, calm
Antonyms: strict, tense, uptight
Word family: easygoingness (n — rare)
⚠ Common mistake: Easygoing is a compliment to bosses, roommates, and travel partners. Its opposite 'uptight' names the stressed style.
🗣 In spoken American English: Hawaii's whole brand image runs on it.
Register: Neutral — personality plus.
silly /ˈsɪli/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Showing a lack of thought or judgment; foolish in a playful or light way; funny and not serious.
Example: He made a silly mistake on the form.
Another example: The kids wore silly hats.
Collocations: a silly mistake · silly hats · don't be silly
Synonyms: foolish, ridiculous, playful
Antonyms: serious, sensible, wise
Word family: silliness (n) · silly (adv — rare)
⚠ Common mistake: Silly ranges from affectionate (silly games with kids) to critical (a silly decision). Tone decides which.
🗣 In spoken American English: Monty Python built an empire on its ministry.
Register: Neutral — personality essential.
selfish /ˈselfɪʃ/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Caring only about yourself and your own needs, without thinking of others.
Example: It was selfish of him to take the last piece without asking.
Another example: Selfish people make bad teammates.
Collocations: selfish of · a selfish act · selfish people
Synonyms: self-centered, greedy, inconsiderate
Antonyms: generous, selfless, thoughtful
Word family: selfishness (n) · selfishly (adv) · self (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Selfish (only me) vs selfless (only others) — the self pair. 'Selfish' in a good sense appears in modern self-care talk ('a selfish hour for yourself').
🗣 In spoken American English: Sharing lessons in kindergarten fight it daily.
Register: Neutral — personality essential.
honest /ˈɒnɪst/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Truthful; not lying, cheating, or stealing. Also frank — saying what you really think.
Example: She is honest — she always tells the truth.
Another example: Give me your honest opinion.
Collocations: honest with · an honest opinion · to be honest
Synonyms: truthful, sincere, frank
Antonyms: dishonest, lying
Word family: honesty (n) · honestly (adv)
⚠ Common mistake: The H is silent: ON-est. 'To be honest' (TBH) opens a thousand candid sentences a day online.
🗣 In spoken American English: Lincoln earned the nickname 'Honest Abe' — rare branding for a politician.
Register: Neutral — character essential.
moody /ˈmuːdi/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Changing mood often and suddenly, sometimes becoming sad or annoyed without a clear reason.
Example: Teenagers can be moody.
Another example: He gets moody when he's tired.
Collocations: moody about · a moody person · moody weather
Synonyms: changeable, temperamental, grumpy
Antonyms: cheerful, steady, easygoing
Word family: mood (n) · moodiness (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Weather borrows it too ('moody skies'). Hunger and tiredness are its most honest causes — adults just name them less.
🗣 In spoken American English: Artists get a free pass for it in every biography.
Register: Neutral — personality essential.
gentle /ˈdʒentəl/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Kind, soft, and calm; not rough or violent. Also (of movement, slopes, exercise) mild and not strong.
Example: She is gentle with the baby.
Another example: A gentle breeze moved the curtains.
Collocations: gentle with · a gentle voice · gentle exercise
Synonyms: kind, soft, mild
Antonyms: rough, violent, harsh
Word family: gently (adv) · gentleness (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Gentle covers people, rain, slopes, and shampoo. 'Gentle reminder' is email's softest nudge.
🗣 In spoken American English: Giant dogs are called 'gentle giants' when they pass its test.
Register: Neutral — personality plus.
sensible /ˈsensəbəl/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Having or showing good judgment and practical sense; making decisions based on reason, not emotion.
Example: It was sensible to save money for a car.
Another example: She's a sensible person — ask her.
Collocations: sensible to · a sensible choice · sensible shoes
Synonyms: reasonable, practical, wise
Antonyms: foolish, silly, reckless
Word family: sensibly (adv) · sense (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Sensible ≠ sensitive: sensible = good judgment; sensitive = easily affected. The classic learner mix-up — English's revenge for 'actual/actually'.
🗣 In spoken American English: Parents praise it; fashion sometimes fears it ('sensible shoes').
Register: Neutral — personality essential.
bossy /ˈbɒsi/ adjective B1 Personality
Meaning: Always telling other people what to do, in a way that can be annoying.
Example: Older sisters can be bossy.
Another example: He's too bossy to work in a team.
Collocations: too bossy · a bossy person · bossy about
Synonyms: controlling, dominating, pushy
Antonyms: easygoing, gentle
Word family: boss (n) · bossiness (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Bossy is the playground's word for it; offices say 'direct' in reviews and 'micromanaging' in complaints.
🗣 In spoken American English: Every family has one; most families name the eldest daughter — unfairly, science of birth order says maybe.
Register: Neutral — personality essential.
Practice — Personality: More Traits
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