How to Describe a picture for the Speaking Test?

Describing a picture is important component in exams like FCE, PTE and TOEIC. When you are asked to describe a picture, you need to consider some points/factors.In this blog, I will give you some tips that can help you describe a picture you are asked to describe.

Ask yourself some questions

First, ask yourself some questions when looking at the picture.

Is it a picture of a person, place or thing?

If you see people in the picture or a place in the picture. You can use adjectives to describe people ( you can talk about people’s physical appearances and the clothes they are wearing). You can ask yourself

Are the people happy or sad? What kind of feelings do they have?

What are people doing in the picture?

Memorize some adjectives to describe a person, place or thing.

When describing a picture, it is important to use descriptive language. For example, you might talk about the colors in the picture, the way the light is shining, or the emotions people have on their faces.

Memorize some common adjectives to describe a person, place or thing.

For example, The man is tall. He has curly black hair. He is wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt. Look at the expression on the face of the person. He looks happy, sad, or tired. It depends on the picture you are looking at. There is no hard and fast rule. It all depends on the picture. A picture speaks volumes when you look at it. The following adjectives can be used to describe people, places or things.

Adjectives to describe people: Tall, short, thin, fat, skinny, wavy hair, curly brown hair, straight black hair, smart, beautiful, funny etc

Adjectives to describe places: Nice,beautiful, amazing , wonderful , quiet , crowded, old ,new ,cold ,hot ,huge,big,small ,interesting ,boring ,colorful,clean,tidy,popular ,good, messy etc.

Adjectives to describe things: Heavy,light,old ,new ,reliable ,flexible ,expensive ,cheap, big ,useful ,attractive ,easy to use etc.

Adjectives to describe feelings: Happy, sad, lonely, excited, scared, bored, confused, frustrated, upset, angry, surprised, nervous, sick, lonely, uncomfortable, satisfied, sleepy etc.

Example: If you see a young girl in the picture. You may say

I see a young girl in the picture. She is around seven or eight years old. She has light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and is wearing a white dress with blue flowers. She is standing in front of a window with a book in her hand.

Look at the background and foreground in the picture.

Every picture has a background and a foreground.

Example: If you see a place like “Kitchen” in the picture. You may say

There is a kitchen in the background. You can see the sink, the stove, and the counter. There is a plant in the corner. The object in the foreground is a teapot.

Look at the arrangement of things

To describe a picture with more complex details, you must first identify the image’s different elements. Once you have done this, you can start explaining how these elements are arranged and what they are doing. For example, you might say there is a group of people in the foreground and a building in the background. The people in the foreground are standing in front of the building and appear to be talking. The building in the background is very tall and has many windows.

Make a story about the picture

Making a story about the picture can also help you talk a lot about the picture. For example, you may say

I see a young girl standing in front of a beautiful waterfall. She looks happy and content. It’s as if she’s been waiting for this moment her whole life.

Get the message from the picture

Every picture gives you a message. Try to figure out the message you are receiving from a photo. For Instance, you see a picture where people are on vacation. You may say

Vacations are very important. When people go on a vacation, they are happy and feel relaxed.

Feelings/Emotions in the picture

The mood of a picture can be described in terms of the emotions it evokes in the viewer. For example, a picture of a beautiful landscape may evoke feelings of happiness and peace, while a picture of a war-torn city may evoke feelings of sadness and despair. The mood of a picture can also be affected by the lighting, composition, and colors in the image.

Use these common phrases

There is / There are

On the left side of the picture/ on the right side of the picture /in the middle of the picture

In the background /In the foreground

On the left/ on the right

I think/ I suppose

They/he/she may be / might be  ( because you are talking about the possibility)

It will be easier for you to describe a picture by following the above tips.