A biography of someone you know – A2 English writing
My grandmother’s name is Rosa. She was born in Mexico City in 1955. She grew up with her parents and two little brothers. When she was a child, she loved reading and wanted to be a teacher. She used to play with her brothers, pretending she was the teacher and they were the students.
A biography of someone you know
In this lesson, you will learn how to write a short biography. A biography is a text about someone’s life. It tells the story of a real person, usually in time order — from their early life to the present day.
First steps
Look at the task:
Before you start writing, answer some questions to help you decide what to include:
- Who is the person?
- What did they do in the past?
- What are they doing now?
- Why do you admire them?
Plan your paragraphs
When you finish answering the questions, it’s time to organise your ideas. You can write your biography in three short paragraphs:
Paragraph 1 – Introduction and early life
Say who the person is and give basic information about them: their name, age, where they are from, when they were born, and their family. You can also say something about their childhood or education.
My grandmother’s name is Rosa. She was born in Mexico City in 1955. She grew up with her parents and two little brothers. When she was a child, she loved reading and wanted to be a teacher. She used to play with her brothers, pretending she was the teacher and they were the students.
Paragraph 2 – Past achievements or important events
Write about what the person did in the past. You can talk about their studies, jobs, travels, or important achievements. Use the past simple for actions that are finished.
She went to university and became a primary school teacher. After that, she worked in a local school for many years. She helped many children learn to read and write. Her old students often stop her in the street to tell her how much they loved her.
Paragraph 3 – Present life and why you admire them
Talk about what the person is doing now and why you admire them. Use the present simple or present continuous to describe actions or situations in the present.
Now she is retired. She has been retired for three years, but she still loves teaching. She helps my little cousins with their homework every week. I admire her because she is patient, kind, and always wants to help others.
Verb tenses for a biography
A biography usually combines different tenses to talk about the past and the present.
| Tense | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Past simple | Finished actions in the past | He was born in 1980. / She studied medicine. |
| Present simple | Actions or situations that are true now or happen regularly | She works in a hospital. / He lives in Madrid. |
| Present continuous | Actions happening now or around this time | He is studying engineering. / She is working on a project. |
| Present perfect + for/since | Actions or situations that started in the past and continue now | She has worked as a nurse for 20 years. / He has lived in London since 2010. |
Using for and since
Use for + a period of time to show how long something has continued. Use for with a duration (two years, a month, a long time).
- She has worked as a teacher for 15 years.
Use since + a specific point in the past to show when something started. Use since with a starting point (Monday, 2012, I was ten years old).
- He has lived in London since 2010.
Used to
We use used to + verb to talk about past habits or situations that are not true now. It helps us describe how someone’s life was different in the past.
- She used to work in a museum. (but now she doesn’t)
- He used to be a teacher. (but now he doesn’t work anymore)
- They used to live in a small town, but now they live in the city.
We use didn’t for the negative form.
- She didn’t use to eat vegetables as a child. (now she does)
- He didn’t use to like tea. (now he does)
- My grandfather didn’t use to watch TV because he didn’t have one.
Time expressions and connectors
To make your writing clear and connected, use time expressions and linking words.
‣ Present time expressions: now, today, at the moment, at present
‣ Connectors: and, but, because, so, then, finally
Examples:
- She studied in Paris, and then she worked in Rome.
- He wanted to be a musician because he loved music.
- He finished university in 2023. After that, he moved to another city for work.
- She travelled around the world for five years. Now, she lives in New York with her family.
Useful language for biographies
- was born in…
- grew up in…
- lived in… / moved to…
- went to school / went to university
- studied… / worked as…
- got married / had children
- became…
- won… / received…
- retired in…
- has lived in… since…
- is working as… / is studying…
- likes / enjoys… -ing
- I admire him/her because…
Sample biography
He studied physical education at university and later he worked as a sports teacher. After that, he started his own football school for children. He has helped many young players improve their skills since 2010, and he has worked there for more than fifteen years.
Now, in his free time, he works as a coach for a local team. He loves helping others learn, so he really enjoys his job. I admire him because he is hardworking, friendly, and always positive.
Ready to practice?
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