Read and listen. How do you doodle? - Oxford University Press

Read and listen.

How do you doodle?

Most people doodle now and again, and some people doodle all the time. A doodle is a figurative or abstract drawing that you do when you aren’t thinking of anything in particular, when you aren’t completely concentrating on something or when you are daydreaming. People doodle when they are on the phone, in a boring lesson, when they are half-listening to their parents telling them what to do – or what not to do – and some say they can’t concentrate without doodling! But the fascinating thing about doodles is that they can tell us a lot about our personalities and how we are feeling.  Here’s a quick guide to some of the more common doodles:

Arrows People who draw arrows are often ambitious or aggressive. 

Boxes Men often draw boxes. Box doodles show that a person is a methodical thinker. Open boxes show that you want to run away from a disagreeable situation, and closed boxes mean that you want to be alone or need some privacy.  New Horizons Digital 1 • Unit 14  pp.142–143

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Dots People who are anxious or worried sometimes draw dots as part of a picture. 

Eyes Eyes mean that you think someone is watching you, or that you want other people to find you attractive.

Flowers People who are very romantic in nature often doodle flowers. 

Houses These are very common doodles and the style of the house gives us an idea of how people feel about their home life.

Question marks People draw question marks when they are uncertain about their life or when they face a difficult decision. 

Stars Very romantic people (often women) draw stars.

Trees Trees without leaves or roots can show that you don’t feel that you are part of your family. 

Umbrellas Bored people draw umbrellas. 

Webs Webs can indicate that you feel like you are trapped or that you want to trap someone else.  New Horizons Digital 1 • Unit 14  pp.142–143

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Zigzags If you doodle repeated zigzag lines, you don’t like the situation you are in and want to be a child again. 

New Horizons Digital 1 • Unit 14  pp.142–143

© Oxford University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE