📝 Unit 10: Personality
Character traits · reciprocal & reflexive pronouns · bar-graph language · personality essay
Task 1 — Match qualities to descriptions (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Match each quality on the left with the behaviour on the right.
The first one is done for you.
(1) Punctual → c (example)
(2) Generous
(3) Ambitious
(4) Stubborn
(5) Empathetic
(6) Hard-working
(a) Refuses to change her mind even when proved wrong.
(b) Stays late at school every Tuesday to finish her project.
(c) Always arrives at school five minutes before the bell.
(d) Gives away half his lunch to a hungry friend.
(e) Wants to become a doctor and study at Harvard.
(f) Notices when a friend is upset and listens patiently.
The first one is done for you.
(1) Punctual → c (example)
(2) Generous
(3) Ambitious
(4) Stubborn
(5) Empathetic
(6) Hard-working
(a) Refuses to change her mind even when proved wrong.
(b) Stays late at school every Tuesday to finish her project.
(c) Always arrives at school five minutes before the bell.
(d) Gives away half his lunch to a hungry friend.
(e) Wants to become a doctor and study at Harvard.
(f) Notices when a friend is upset and listens patiently.
(2) d — Generous
(3) e — Ambitious
(4) a — Stubborn
(5) f — Empathetic
(6) b — Hard-working
5 marks.
(3) e — Ambitious
(4) a — Stubborn
(5) f — Empathetic
(6) b — Hard-working
5 marks.
Task 2 — each other vs one another (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Fill in each blank with either <b>each other</b> or
<b>one another</b>.
(1) My twin and I have known ........... since the day we were born.
(2) The four houses of our school compete with ........... at sports day.
(3) Tharindu and Sajini still write to ........... twice a month.
(4) All Sri Lankans should respect ........... regardless of religion.
(5) Two best friends should always trust ........... .
<b>one another</b>.
(1) My twin and I have known ........... since the day we were born.
(2) The four houses of our school compete with ........... at sports day.
(3) Tharindu and Sajini still write to ........... twice a month.
(4) All Sri Lankans should respect ........... regardless of religion.
(5) Two best friends should always trust ........... .
(1) each other
(2) one another
(3) each other
(4) one another
(5) each other
5 marks.
(2) one another
(3) each other
(4) one another
(5) each other
5 marks.
Task 3 — Reflexive pronouns (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Fill in each blank with the correct reflexive pronoun.
(1) I taught ........... how to ride a bicycle.
(2) Please make ........... at home, Aunty.
(3) The cat washes ........... after every meal.
(4) We enjoyed ........... at the picnic.
(5) The visitors helped ........... to the buffet.
(6) Did you cook this all by ..........., Amma?
(1) I taught ........... how to ride a bicycle.
(2) Please make ........... at home, Aunty.
(3) The cat washes ........... after every meal.
(4) We enjoyed ........... at the picnic.
(5) The visitors helped ........... to the buffet.
(6) Did you cook this all by ..........., Amma?
(1) myself
(2) yourself
(3) itself
(4) ourselves
(5) themselves
(6) yourself
5 marks.
(2) yourself
(3) itself
(4) ourselves
(5) themselves
(6) yourself
5 marks.
Task 4 — Positive or negative? (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Sort the following qualities into the right column.
Words: ambitious · arrogant · cheerful · cruel · diligent · hot-tempered · jealous · loyal · selfish · trustworthy
Positive (✓): ........... ........... ........... ........... ...........
Negative (✗): ........... ........... ........... ........... ...........
Words: ambitious · arrogant · cheerful · cruel · diligent · hot-tempered · jealous · loyal · selfish · trustworthy
Positive (✓): ........... ........... ........... ........... ...........
Negative (✗): ........... ........... ........... ........... ...........
Positive: ambitious · cheerful · diligent · loyal · trustworthy.
Negative: arrogant · cruel · hot-tempered · jealous · selfish.
5 marks.
Negative: arrogant · cruel · hot-tempered · jealous · selfish.
5 marks.
Task 5 — Comprehension: A school speech (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Read Vidath's speech (above) and answer the questions.
(1) What inspired Vidath to write about personality?
(2) According to the speech, what makes each person unique?
(3) Write the sentence that lists at least three different types of people we meet.
(4) Find a word in the speech that means "a fixed way of behaving".
(5) Underline the correct answer. According to Vidath, personality comes from
(a) only our parents.
(b) only the environment.
(c) both birth and environment.
(1) What inspired Vidath to write about personality?
(2) According to the speech, what makes each person unique?
(3) Write the sentence that lists at least three different types of people we meet.
(4) Find a word in the speech that means "a fixed way of behaving".
(5) Underline the correct answer. According to Vidath, personality comes from
(a) only our parents.
(b) only the environment.
(c) both birth and environment.
(1) Reading a recent article on personality.
(2) The unique combination of our qualities and behaviours — our personality.
(3) "Among them we may find that some are friendly, some shy, some helpful, some lazy, and so on."
(4) traits / patterns.
(5) (c) both birth and environment.
5 marks.
(2) The unique combination of our qualities and behaviours — our personality.
(3) "Among them we may find that some are friendly, some shy, some helpful, some lazy, and so on."
(4) traits / patterns.
(5) (c) both birth and environment.
5 marks.
Task 6 — Notice: a personality talk (40–50 words)
(5 marks)
You are the secretary of the Career Guidance Society. Write a
notice inviting students to a talk on 'Building a strong personality'. Use
about 40–50 words.
Include:
• date, time and venue
• name of the resource person
• who can attend
• how to register.
notice inviting students to a talk on 'Building a strong personality'. Use
about 40–50 words.
Include:
• date, time and venue
• name of the resource person
• who can attend
• how to register.
CAREER GUIDANCE SOCIETY — TALK ON 'BUILDING A STRONG PERSONALITY'
All Grade 9 to 11 students are invited to a talk by Dr. Hashini Wickrama,
Clinical Psychologist, on 'Building a Strong Personality'. It will be held in
the school auditorium on Friday, 18th February 2027 at 1.30 p.m. Register
with Nimali Perera by 16th February.
— Secretary.
50 words. 5 marks.
All Grade 9 to 11 students are invited to a talk by Dr. Hashini Wickrama,
Clinical Psychologist, on 'Building a Strong Personality'. It will be held in
the school auditorium on Friday, 18th February 2027 at 1.30 p.m. Register
with Nimali Perera by 16th February.
— Secretary.
50 words. 5 marks.
Task 7 — Short paragraph (50–60 words)
(5 marks)
Write a paragraph on ONE of the following. Use about 50–60 words.
(a) The personality I admire most
(b) A bad habit I want to change
(c) What I would say at my own farewell
(a) The personality I admire most
(b) A bad habit I want to change
(c) What I would say at my own farewell
MODEL — The personality I admire most (60 words)
The personality I admire most is my class teacher, Mrs. Perera. She walks into
the room with a smile that settles the noisiest day. She is patient when we
are slow, firm when we are careless, and remembers a small joke from a month
ago. To me, she is proof that kindness and discipline can live in the same
person.
5 marks.
The personality I admire most is my class teacher, Mrs. Perera. She walks into
the room with a smile that settles the noisiest day. She is patient when we
are slow, firm when we are careless, and remembers a small joke from a month
ago. To me, she is proof that kindness and discipline can live in the same
person.
5 marks.
Task 8 — Bar graph / letter (~100 words, 10 marks)
(10 marks)
Answer (a) OR (b). Use about 100 words.
(a) Write a letter to a pen friend describing the personality of a member of
your family. Include: relationship, three positive qualities with an example,
one weakness, one closing thought.
(b) The bar graph below shows the personality qualities of Grade 10 students
in a class of 40. Write a description.
Bar values: cheerful 24 · helpful 18 · honest 15 · punctual 12 · brave 9 · stubborn 6.
(a) Write a letter to a pen friend describing the personality of a member of
your family. Include: relationship, three positive qualities with an example,
one weakness, one closing thought.
(b) The bar graph below shows the personality qualities of Grade 10 students
in a class of 40. Write a description.
Bar values: cheerful 24 · helpful 18 · honest 15 · punctual 12 · brave 9 · stubborn 6.
(b) MODEL — Bar-graph description (107 words)
The bar graph shows the personality qualities of 40 Grade 10 students in a
class. Cheerfulness is the quality found in the majority of students at 24,
followed by helpfulness at 18. Approximately 15 students are honest, while
12 are punctual. Bravery is reported in 9 students, slightly more than
stubbornness, which is the least common quality at just 6.
In summary, more than half the class is described in 'warm' terms (cheerful
or helpful), and only one in five carries the negative trait of stubbornness.
This class clearly values friendliness over toughness.
10 marks — every required phrase used, accurate data, closing insight.
The bar graph shows the personality qualities of 40 Grade 10 students in a
class. Cheerfulness is the quality found in the majority of students at 24,
followed by helpfulness at 18. Approximately 15 students are honest, while
12 are punctual. Bravery is reported in 9 students, slightly more than
stubbornness, which is the least common quality at just 6.
In summary, more than half the class is described in 'warm' terms (cheerful
or helpful), and only one in five carries the negative trait of stubbornness.
This class clearly values friendliness over toughness.
10 marks — every required phrase used, accurate data, closing insight.
Task 9 — Speech / essay (~200 words, 15 marks)
(15 marks)
Write on ONE of the following. Use about 200 words.
(a) A speech you would make at the assembly on 'What makes a strong personality'.
(b) An essay on 'Why kindness matters more than cleverness'.
(c) An article: 'The most influential person in my life'.
(a) A speech you would make at the assembly on 'What makes a strong personality'.
(b) An essay on 'Why kindness matters more than cleverness'.
(c) An article: 'The most influential person in my life'.
(c) MODEL — The most influential person in my life (214 words)
The person who has shaped me most is my grandfather, Achchappa.
He is seventy-nine, of medium build and a calm voice that you only hear when
the rest of the family has stopped shouting. He retired from a Class-3 clerk
post at the Department of Agriculture in 2010, and yet I have not met anyone
in my life who treats every minute of every day as carefully as he does.
Three of his qualities have become my own. First, his honesty. He once
travelled 32 km on a bus to return a fifty-rupee note a shopkeeper had given
him by mistake. Second, his curiosity. He still reads a newspaper a day and
can tell me what GDP and inflation mean better than my Commerce teacher.
Third, his patience. He taught me to read clocks when I was three and to
relace my own shoes when I was four — both with the same gentle smile.
His only weakness, perhaps, is that he never raises his voice — even when
someone is taking advantage of him.
I do not want to be a famous man one day; I want to be the kind of man
Achchappa is. Quiet, honest, and used by his family every single day.
15 marks — opens with a hook, three qualities each with a concrete story,
honest weakness, deeply personal closing.
The person who has shaped me most is my grandfather, Achchappa.
He is seventy-nine, of medium build and a calm voice that you only hear when
the rest of the family has stopped shouting. He retired from a Class-3 clerk
post at the Department of Agriculture in 2010, and yet I have not met anyone
in my life who treats every minute of every day as carefully as he does.
Three of his qualities have become my own. First, his honesty. He once
travelled 32 km on a bus to return a fifty-rupee note a shopkeeper had given
him by mistake. Second, his curiosity. He still reads a newspaper a day and
can tell me what GDP and inflation mean better than my Commerce teacher.
Third, his patience. He taught me to read clocks when I was three and to
relace my own shoes when I was four — both with the same gentle smile.
His only weakness, perhaps, is that he never raises his voice — even when
someone is taking advantage of him.
I do not want to be a famous man one day; I want to be the kind of man
Achchappa is. Quiet, honest, and used by his family every single day.
15 marks — opens with a hook, three qualities each with a concrete story,
honest weakness, deeply personal closing.