Let's learn about common adjectives!

Adjectives are the colorful words that paint our sentences with vivid details! They help us describe the world around us, adding richness and depth to our conversations. Whether we’re talking about a tall tree, a delicious cake, or a fast car, adjectives give life to our stories, making them more engaging and expressive.

For children, learning adjectives is an essential step in developing strong language skills. These descriptive words allow them to express their thoughts and feelings more clearly, describe their experiences in detail, and connect with others by sharing what they see and feel.

Ready to enhance your language with some descriptive sparkle?

List of common adjectives in English

Adjectives help us describe objects, people, and experiences, enriching our language with details that bring our stories to life. The following adjectives are part of the Studycat Learn English app for kids, designed to make learning descriptive words engaging and interactive. By practicing these adjectives, children can enhance their ability to describe the world around them with precision and creativity.

Here’s a list of common adjectives that are versatile and useful in many contexts:

new

Fresh, not previously used or owned. “I got a new bicycle for my birthday!“

old

Having been used for a long time; not new. “He prefers reading old books with worn covers.”

beautiful

Pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically. “She watched the beautiful sunset from the balcony.”

ugly

Unpleasant or repulsive to look at. “That old building is really ugly and needs some paint.”

clean

Free from dirt, marks, or stains. “The kitchen was sparkling clean after she tidied up.”

dirty

Covered or marked with an unclean substance. “His shoes were dirty after playing outside all day.”

big

Of considerable size, extent, or intensity. “They live in a big house with six bedrooms.”

small

Less than normal or usual in size. “She has a small collection of stamps she treasures.”

long

Measuring a great distance from end to end. “He went for a long jog around the park.”

short

Small in length, duration, or extent. “We took a short break to stretch our legs.”

fast

Moving or capable of moving at high speed. “The cheetah is an incredibly fast animal.”

slow

Moving or operating at a low speed. “He drives too slow in the fast lane.”

Adjectives for describing how things look

These adjectives help us describe what things look like, from size and shape to color and texture. Learning these words allows children to talk about how things appear in the world around them.

• beautiful Pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically. “She wore a beautiful dress to the party.”
• ugly Unpleasant or unattractive to look at. “The old building was ugly and in need of repair.”
• tall Of great height. “The tall tree in the yard provides lots of shade.”
• short Having little height or length. “The short man reached up to grab the book from the shelf.”
• round Shaped like a circle or sphere. “The round ball rolled down the hill.”
• square Having four equal sides and four right angles. “She drew a square on the paper with a ruler.”
• thin Having little thickness or width. “The thin paper tore easily when wet.”
• thick Having a large distance between two sides. “The thick book took a long time to read.”
• bright Giving off or reflecting a lot of light. “The bright sun lit up the entire room.”
• dark Having little or no light. “The dark room was filled with shadows.”

Adjectives for describing emotions

These adjectives are essential for expressing feelings and emotions. They help children communicate how they feel and understand the emotions of others, building empathy and connection.

• happy Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. “She was happy when she received her gift.”
• sad Feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy. “He felt sad after his friend moved away.”
• angry Feeling strong displeasure or hostility. “She was angry when her toy was broken.”
• excited Very enthusiastic and eager. “He was excited to go to the amusement park.”
• scared Feeling fear or anxiety. “She was scared during the thunderstorm.”
• bored Feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one’s current activity. “He was bored waiting for the bus to arrive.”
• surprised Feeling or showing astonishment. “She was surprised by the unexpected party.”
• nervous Easily agitated or alarmed; anxious. “He was nervous before his big performance.”
• proud Feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements. “She was proud of her drawing.”
• jealous Feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages. “He was jealous when his friend got a new bike.”

Adjectives for describing taste and texture

These adjectives help us talk about how food and objects feel or taste, adding detail to our descriptions. They’re useful for discussing meals, cooking, and sensory experiences.

• sweet Having a taste like sugar. “The cake was so sweet, it made her smile.”
• sour Having a sharp taste or smell like that of lemon juice or vinegar. “The lemon was too sour to eat by itself.”
• salty Tasting of, containing, or preserved with salt. “The pretzels were very salty and crunchy.”
• bitter Having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet. “The coffee was too bitter without sugar.”
• spicy Having a strong, hot flavor. “The curry was very spicy, making his eyes water.”
• crunchy Making a sharp noise when bitten or crushed. “The apple was fresh and crunchy.”
• soft Easy to mold, cut, compress, or fold; not hard or firm. “The bread was soft and warm from the oven.”
• juicy Full of juice; succulent. “The juicy peach dripped down her chin.”
• dry Free from moisture or liquid. “The toast was dry and needed butter.”
• smooth Having an even and regular surface or consistency. “The smoothie was smooth and creamy.”

Adjectives for describing quantity and size

These adjectives help us talk about how much or how big something is, which is important for understanding and describing the world around us.

• big Of considerable size, extent, or intensity. “They live in a big house with a large garden.”
• small Of a size that is less than normal or usual. “She found a small shell on the beach.”
• few A small number of. “There are only a few cookies left in the jar.”
• many A large number of. “Many people came to the concert.”
• full Containing or holding as much or as many as possible. “The jar was full of candies.”
• empty Containing nothing; not filled or occupied. “The glass was empty after he drank all the juice.”
• heavy Of great weight; difficult to lift or move. “The heavy box was hard to carry up the stairs.”
• light Having little weight; easy to lift. “The feather was so light, it floated in the air.”
• long Measuring a great distance from end to end. “He went for a long walk in the evening.”
• short Measuring a small distance from end to end. “She cut her hair short for the summer.”

Adjectives for describing weather and nature

These adjectives help us describe the world around us, especially the weather and natural elements. They are useful for discussing outdoor activities and the environment.

• sunny Bright with sunlight. “It was a sunny day, perfect for a picnic.”
• cloudy Covered with or characterized by clouds. “The sky was cloudy, but it didn’t rain.”
• rainy Characterized by rain; wet. “It was a rainy afternoon, so they stayed indoors.”
• windy Characterized by or exposed to strong winds. “It was too windy to fly the kite.”
• snowy Covered with or resembling snow. “The snowy hills were perfect for sledding.”
• hot Having a high temperature. “It was a hot day, so they went to the beach.”
• cold Having a low temperature. “The cold weather made them wear warm coats.”
• stormy Characterized by strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow. “The stormy night kept everyone awake.”
• foggy Filled with thick mist or low clouds. “The foggy morning made it hard to see the road.”
• freezing Very cold; below the temperature at which water turns to ice. “It was freezing outside, so they drank hot chocolate to stay warm.”

Exploring these adjectives helps us communicate more precisely and vividly about our surroundings. Studycat’s engaging activities make learning these words fun and memorable!

How to learn and remember adjectives

Adjectives are key to vivid descriptions, so here are some engaging ways to incorporate them into your learning:

• Descriptive drawing: draw scenes or objects and label them with adjectives from the list.
• Adjective hunt: while reading a book or watching a movie, keep a list of adjectives used and discuss what they describe.
• Comparison game: compare two items and use adjectives from the list to describe the differences and similarities.
• Adjective crafting: create crafts based on adjectives, like a “beautiful” collage or a “dirty” monster made from craft materials.
• Interactive stories: create a story together where you choose adjectives from the list to describe the characters and settings.

As we wrap up our exploration of adjectives, remember that each new word you learn adds color and detail to your language skills. Until next time, keep describing the world in ever more colorful ways!