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Basic English Course 1 · Unit 3

Unit 3: Favorite People

Describe famous people, classmates, friends, and family members using simple identity, description, possession, and yes/no question patterns.

Sessions 7-9PeopleDescriptionsFamilyYes/no questions
Start lesson Unit 3 Practice Lab Back to overview
Learning Outcome

By the end of this unit, you can introduce and describe a favorite person, ask yes/no questions about people, and talk about a family photo with basic but accurate English.

01

Learning route

What you will learn in Unit 3

Unit 3 moves from simple identity sentences to complete descriptions of people. The same language supports the Guess Who game, family photo listening, reading, pronunciation, and speaking activities.

01People and identityHe, she, they, jobs, origin. 02DescriptionsAppearance and personality. 03To be reviewAffirmative, negative, question. 04Yes/no questionsAsk and answer about people. 05PossessivesMy, his, her, their. 06Family vocabularyCore family words with audio. 07Family photoThis is..., these are... 08Likes and favorite peopleSimple third-person meaning. 09Final modelDescribe your favorite person. 10ContinuePractice Lab connections.
01

People and Identity

Start with the most basic information: who the person is, where the person is from, and what the person does.

People description game banner

Real context: identify one person

In this unit, students describe famous people, classmates, suspects, and family members. The first step is simple identity language.

She is a singer. He is my classmate. They are from Colombia.

He

Use he for one male person.

He is my brother.He is an actor.

She

Use she for one female person.

She is my aunt.She is a singer.

They

Use they for two or more people.

They are my parents.They are soccer players.
MeaningPatternExampleSpanish idea
IdentitySubject + be + name/relationshipShe is Sofia. / He is my cousin.quién es
Job or roleSubject + be + a/an + jobHe is an actor. / She is a student.qué hace / rol
OriginSubject + be + from + placeThey are from Medellín.de dónde es
02

Describing People

Students need description language for Guess Who, family photos, favorite people, and eyewitness-style speaking tasks.

Be + adjective

Use is/are before adjectives.

She is friendly.He is tall.They are young.

Have/has + feature

Use has for he/she and have for they.

She has long hair.He has glasses.They have brown eyes.

Adjective + noun

In English, the adjective usually goes before the noun.

short haira black jacketa red backpack
tallshortslimstrongfriendlyseriousfunnysmartyoungoldlong haircurly hairglassesbeard
She has friendly. ×
She is friendly. ✓
He is glasses. ×
He has glasses. ✓
03

Verb To Be Review for Descriptions

Unit 3 still depends on the verb to be. Students use it to identify people and describe them.

SubjectAffirmativeNegativeQuestionShort answer
II am a student.I am not famous.Am I late?Yes, I am. / No, I am not.
He / SheShe is my sister.He is not old.Is she your cousin?Yes, she is. / No, she is not.
TheyThey are my friends.They are not actors.Are they your parents?Yes, they are. / No, they are not.
Core idea: use be for identity and adjectives. Use has/have for physical features like hair, glasses, or clothes.
04

Yes/No Questions About People

Yes/no questions help students play Guess Who, check family relationships, and confirm descriptions.

With be

Is she your sister?Are they your classmates?

Move is/are before the subject.

With adjectives

Is he tall?Are they friendly?

Use this for physical or personality descriptions.

Short answers

Yes, she is.No, they are not.

Do not repeat the full sentence every time.

Guess Who pattern

Ask about one person and eliminate options.

Is he wearing glasses?Is she friendly?Is he your favorite actor?

Family photo pattern

Ask about people in a photo.

Is she your mother?Are they your grandparents?Is he your cousin?
05

Possessives: My, His, Her, Their

Possessives connect a person with a name, family member, object, or relationship.

SubjectPossessiveUseExample
ImySomething connected to meThis is my brother.
YouyourSomething connected to youIs this your cousin?
HehisSomething connected to a male personHis name is Daniel.
SheherSomething connected to a female personHer name is Laura.
TheytheirSomething connected to two or more peopleTheir names are Ana and Luis.
She name is Sofia. ×
Her name is Sofia. ✓
They names are Ana and Luis. ×
Their names are Ana and Luis. ✓
06

Family Vocabulary With Audio

Students need family vocabulary to talk about favorite people and family photos.

Immediate family

mothermadre
fatherpadre
parentspadres
brotherhermano
sisterhermana
siblingshermanos/as
sonhijo
daughterhija

Extended family

grandmotherabuela
grandfatherabuelo
grandparentsabuelos
aunttía
uncletío
cousinprimo/a
niecesobrina
nephewsobrino

Partner and household

wifeesposa
husbandesposo
partnerpareja
petmascota

Blended family

stepmothermadrastra
stepfatherpadrastro
stepsisterhermanastra
stepbrotherhermanastro
Teaching note: the page uses grouped vocabulary so students do not face one long list. The audio buttons remain available for pronunciation support.
07

Talking About a Family Photo

Family-photo language connects vocabulary, pronouns, possessives, and yes/no questions.

Professional family photo reading illustration

Photo description model

Students should describe people from left to right or from the main person outward. This creates order and avoids random sentences.

This is my mother. Her name is Ana. She is friendly. These are my grandparents. Their names are Rosa and Luis.

One person near me

This is my sister.She is twenty.

One person far from me

That is my uncle.He is funny.

Two or more people

These are my parents.They are kind.

Useful questions

Who is the person in the photo?Is she your mother?Are they your grandparents?

Useful answers

Yes, she is. She is my mother.No, he is not. He is my uncle.Yes, they are. They are my parents.
08

Likes and Favorite People

Students can add one or two simple likes to make a favorite-person description more personal.

I like

Use base verb after I like.

I like music.I like my sister.

He likes / She likes

Add -s with he and she.

He likes soccer.She likes reading.

Favorite person

Explain who the person is and why the person is important.

My favorite person is my mother because she is kind.
Keep it basic: Unit 3 does not need long present-simple grammar yet. Use likes only to enrich short descriptions.
09

Main Model and Final Product

The final model integrates identity, family vocabulary, possessives, adjectives, and one simple reason.

Final speaking model: My favorite person

My favorite person is my sister. Her name is Sofia. She is twenty years old. She is friendly, smart, and funny. She has long hair and brown eyes. She likes music and movies. She is important to me because she helps me and listens to me.

What the model includes