Meaning & use
description of self
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
A written or spoken account in which someone tells what kind of person they are, including their character, qualities and background.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; it often follows verbs like write, give or provide: write a description of self.
Patterns
- write a description of self
- a short description of self
- give a description of self
The application form asks for a brief description of self in the box below.
In her description of self, she stressed that she is patient and hard-working.
He found writing a description of self harder than answering the other questions.
phrasefixed phrasetechnical
A way of talking about a person that shows how they see or define their own identity.
Grammar: Often used in academic or psychological writing about identity: a description of self as a learner.
Patterns
- a description of self as something
- someone's description of self
The study looked at each student's description of self as a language learner.
His description of self changed after he moved abroad.
Common combinations
- write a description of self
- Candidates must write a description of self of about 200 words.
- a brief description of self
- Please begin with a brief description of self.
- a detailed description of self
- The therapist asked for a detailed description of self, not just a list of facts.
- someone's description of self
- Her description of self was modest and honest.
- give a description of self
- At the interview he had to give a description of self to the whole group.
- a description of self as something
- The essay offers a description of self as a lifelong learner.
Synonyms and how they differ
- self-description
- This is the more usual and more compact term; use it in most writing, and keep 'description of self' for very plain or formal contexts.
- self-portrait
- This means a description or picture that a person makes of themselves, but it is more often used for art than for words.
- profile
- A profile is a short factual account of someone, often written by another person, so it is less personal than a description of self.
Word family
- describe verb
- To say what someone or something is like.
- description noun
- An account that tells what someone or something is like.
- descriptive adjective
- Giving a clear picture of something in words.
- self noun
- The person that you are, seen as separate from others.
Commonly confused: description of self or self-description? description of self or description of yourself?
description of self vs self-description
This is the standard compound noun; 'description of self' means the same but is longer and sounds more formal or clinical.
description of self vs description of yourself
This is the everyday spoken version; 'description of self' is the fixed, more formal form used in forms and academic writing.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
'A description of self' is a noun phrase and fits after 'wrote' as the object. Option 2 wrongly adds a second object, option 3 uses 'to be patient' as if the phrase were a verb, and option 4 piles on adverbs that do not fit the noun phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “description of self”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.