English
Describing Words (Adjectives)
Learning Objectives
- Students will understand what a describing word (adjective) is.
- Students will learn describing words for colours, sizes, shapes, tastes, and feelings.
- Students will use describing words in simple sentences.
- Students will identify describing words in sentences.
Let Us Begin!
Think about a mango. It is yellow, sweet, and juicy. Now think about an elephant. It is big, grey, and heavy. The words yellow, sweet, big, grey — these words tell us more about the mango and the elephant. These are called describing words. We also call them adjectives!
What Is a Describing Word?
A describing word tells us more about a naming word. It describes how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, or sounds.
A describing word answers questions like: What colour? What size? What shape? What taste? How does it feel?
Example
The red ball → "red" tells us the colour of the ball.
A tall tree → "tall" tells us the size of the tree.
The sweet mango → "sweet" tells us the taste of the mango.
Think: How would you describe your school bag? Big? Small? Red? Blue? Those are describing words!
Types of Describing Words
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Colours | red, blue, green, yellow, white, black, orange, pink, brown, purple |
| Sizes | big, small, tall, short, long, tiny, huge, fat, thin, wide |
| Shapes | round, square, flat, pointed, curved, oval, straight |
| Tastes | sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, tasty, yummy |
| Feelings | happy, sad, angry, scared, tired, excited, brave, kind |
| Touch | soft, hard, rough, smooth, hot, cold, wet, dry, sticky |
| Sound | loud, quiet, noisy, silent |
| Number | one, two, many, few, some, several |
Describing Words in Sentences
| Sentence | Describing Word | Naming Word it describes |
|---|---|---|
| Ravi has a red ball. | red | ball |
| The mango is sweet. | sweet | mango |
| Meena is a tall girl. | tall | girl |
| The elephant is big. | big | elephant |
| Sita is a happy child. | happy | child |
| The ice cream is cold. | cold | ice cream |
| Arjun has a new bag. | new | bag |
| The round moon is bright. | round | moon |
Opposite Describing Words
| Word | Opposite | Word | Opposite |
|---|---|---|---|
| big | small | hot | cold |
| tall | short | soft | hard |
| happy | sad | fast | slow |
| new | old | clean | dirty |
| sweet | sour | wet | dry |
Key Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Describing word | A word that tells us more about a naming word |
| Adjective | Another name for a describing word |
| Colour | Red, blue, green, yellow, etc. |
| Size | Big, small, tall, short, etc. |
| Taste | Sweet, sour, salty, spicy, etc. |
| Opposite | A word with the reverse meaning (big ↔ small) |
⭐ Key Points to Remember
- A describing word tells us more about a naming word.
- Describing words are also called adjectives.
- They can describe colour, size, shape, taste, feeling, touch, or sound.
- Examples: red, big, sweet, soft, happy, round, loud.
- A describing word usually comes before the naming word: a big elephant.
- Many describing words have opposites: big ↔ small, hot ↔ cold.
Finished learning? Now test what you know!