Describing Things ESL Games, Activities & Worksheets
Size, Weight, and Dimensions
ESL Describing Objects Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Categorising, Matching, Binary Choice, Multiple Choice, Sentence Completion
In this useful describing objects worksheet, students practice adjectives used to describe the size, weight, and dimensions of objects. First, students write...
Describing Things Scramble
ESL Describing Things Game - Reading and Vocabulary: Matching, Forming Descriptions - Pair Work
In this productive describing things game, students race to form descriptions with 'made' or 'used' + preposition expressions. In pairs, students begin by separating cards into three types: sentence beginning...
Made + Preposition
ESL Describing Things Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Gap-fill, Matching, Binary Choice - Speaking Activity: Brainstorming - Pair Work
In this comprehensive describing things worksheet, students learn how to describe things with 'made' + preposition expressions. First, students complete...
Think of Something
ESL Describing Things Activity - Vocabulary: Word Association - Pair Work
In this intriguing describing things activity, students associate things with adjectives and discuss their answers. Working alone, students read each question, e.g. 'What do you think of when you think of something white?' and write their...
What could it be?
ESL Describing Things Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Writing Crossword Clues, Describing, Guessing, Controlled Practice - Pair Work
In this useful describing things crossword activity, students describe and guess everyday objects. In two groups, students invent and write down clues...
Describing Objects
ESL Describing Objects Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Gap-fill, Writing Descriptions - Speaking Activity: Describing, Guessing - Pair Work
This free describing objects worksheet helps students learn how to describe things using adjectives, the materials they're made of, and their uses. First, students...
Origin
ESL Describing Things Game - Speaking: Describing, Guessing - Pair Work
In this engaging describing things game, students describe things that come from different countries. Each pair is given a set of cards that show things countries are famous for, such as types of food, animals, sports, company names, products...
The Describing Game
ESL Describing Things Game - Vocabulary: Describing - Group Work
In this creative describing things game, students describe objects with specific adjectives and phrases. In groups, players take turns turning over five cards. The player then thinks of an object and tries to use the five adjectives or phrases...
Whatsitsname?
ESL Describing Objects Game - Speaking: Describing, Guessing - Group and Pair Work
In this entertaining describing things guessing game, students describe objects for a partner to guess. In two groups, students discuss and make notes on how to describe the objects on their worksheet without saying what they are. Students then pair up with...
Advertising Products
ESL Describing Products Activity - Vocabulary and Writing: Matching, Writing Advertisements, Presenting - Pair Work
In this handy product descriptions activity, students practice adjectives commonly used to advertise products and then use them to write product advertisements. First, in pairs, students look at adjectives...
Ancient Artifacts
ESL Describing Objects Game - Speaking: Describing, Guessing - Group Work
In this interesting describing objects activity, students take on the role of archaeologists in the far future and play a game where they describe objects and guess possible uses. Students imagine that they are archaeologists in the far future and that...
Describe it
ESL Describing Things Game - Vocabulary: Matching, Forming Sentences - Group Work
In this free describing things game, students match adjectives to pictures and then describe the pictures using the adjectives. The aim of the game is for players to get four adjective cards that describe one of the pictures on the table...
Adjectives of Size, Shape and Colour
ESL Describing Things Worksheet - Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Matching, Gap-fill, Listing, Writing a Paragraph
In this insightful describing things worksheet, students practice adjectives of size, shape and colour to describe rooms and objects in the home. First, students match adjectives of size, shape and colour...
Using Describing Things Language
The language of describing objects covers the vocabulary and structures speakers use to communicate what something looks like, what it is made of, and what it is used for. Students who lack the right adjectives and prepositional phrases for this often fall back on repetitive or vague language, leaving their listener unable to identify what they mean.
This page covers object description from A1 to C1 level, with 13 activities spanning vocabulary worksheets, card games, pair speaking tasks, and a paragraph writing exercise, including two free downloads.
This table shows the three core structures used to describe an object's qualities, material, and purpose, with an example sentence for each.
| Describing Category | Key Structure | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Quality or appearance | subject + is/are + adjective | 'It is small, round, and blue.' |
| Material | subject + is/are + made of/from + noun | 'It is made of glass.' |
| Use or purpose | subject + is/are + used for + noun/-ing | 'It is used for cutting bread.' |
| Origin | subject + is/are + nationality adjective | 'It is Australian.' |
| Size and dimensions | subject + is/are + adjective OR subject + measures + dimension | 'It is about 10 cm wide and quite heavy.' |
How to Use Describing Things Language
Describing the Key Properties in Order: Cover the most useful properties in a consistent sequence — what it looks like, what it is made of, and what it is used for — so your listener can build a clear picture progressively, for example 'It's a small round object made of glass, and you use it to magnify things.'
Using Circumlocution When You Lack the Word: When you cannot recall the exact word, describe the function or appearance instead of stopping. Lead with the most distinctive property to narrow the field quickly, for example 'It's a flat metal thing with a sharp edge that you use to cut food.'
Signalling Nationality or Origin: When origin is the most distinctive property, open with the nationality adjective before adding other details, for example 'It's an Italian dish made from wheat flour, shaped into thin flat sheets and usually served with a sauce.'
3-Step Framework for Teaching Describing Things Language
1. Build Vocabulary Before Speaking: Begin with structured vocabulary work that builds toward unscripted speaking. Students match adjectives and materials to categories, then write three sentences to describe each pictured object using words from a box. The activity closes by pushing students off the page entirely: they think of two objects of their own and describe each one in three sentences to a partner without saying what they are, while the partner guesses.
2. Add Pressure with a Scoring Game: Move into a speaking game that trains students to build a description clue by clue under real competitive pressure. The scoring system creates a strong incentive for precision: a correct first guess earns five points, and each additional clue the describer gives costs both players a point, all the way down to zero. Students quickly learn that opening with a nationality clue, for example 'It is Australian,' sets the frame efficiently before narrowing the field.
3. Push Toward Purposeful Description: Push students toward purposeful, persuasive description by having them match adjectives to specific products and write advertisements using those words. The activity then escalates into a guessing challenge: pairs write a second advertisement without naming the product and read it aloud to the class, who try to identify what is being described. This gets students thinking not just about accuracy but about which details are most distinctive and revealing.
Common Mistakes with Describing Things Language
Wrong Adjective Order: Students often place adjectives in the wrong sequence, putting material or colour before opinion or size adjectives, which sounds unnatural to a native speaker. Wrong: 'A metal small old box.' Correct: 'A small old metal box.'
Confusing 'Made of' and 'Made from': Students often use 'made of' and 'made from' interchangeably, missing the distinction that 'made of' refers to a material still identifiable in the final object while 'made from' refers to a material that has been transformed. Wrong: 'Paper is made of wood.' Correct: 'Paper is made from wood.'
Common Questions About Teaching Describing Things Language
What is a fun game for practicing how to describe things?
Players in the game Describe it collect four adjective cards that all describe one picture on the table. When a player has the right set, they read a description aloud, for example 'This cheap ice cream is tasty, soft and creamy.' If the group agrees the adjectives fit, the player wins the picture card. It is a free download.
What is a useful worksheet for teaching adjectives to describe things?
The worksheet Adjectives of Size, Shape and Colour moves students from matching adjectives to definitions, through gap-fill practice completing an apartment description, and on to writing a paragraph about where they live. The final task pushes students to produce connected descriptive language by drawing on adjectives they have identified themselves rather than a word list.
What is an engaging activity for practicing how to describe everyday objects?
The activity What could it be? has students invent crossword clues by completing description prompts in a table. They then pair up with someone from the other group and take turns reading clues for their partner to guess. Clues build across multiple properties, for example 'It is heavy. It is made of wood. It is used for sitting on.'
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