Describing Things ESL Games, Activities and Worksheets

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 each adjective under the category that it is used to describe. Next, students match size, weight, and dimension adjectives with their opposites. Students then underline the correct size, weight, or dimension adjective to complete each sentence about an object. After that, students complete sentences about objects by choosing the correct size, weight, or dimension adjective from the options given. Finally, students complete sentences about objects and their size, weight, and dimensions with their own ideas and then compare their answers with a partner. show less

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 cards, 'made' / 'used' + preposition cards, and ending cards. Next, students line up the sentence beginning cards in order and match each one with an ending card. After that, students complete each sentence with a 'made' / 'used' + preposition card, e.g. 'This mirror is made of glass.' The first pair to complete all the descriptions correctly wins. show less

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 descriptions with words from a box. Next, students look at the 'made' + preposition expressions in bold in the descriptions and match them with their functions. Students then underline the correct preposition in each description. After that, students complete descriptions with the prepositions: in, of, from, with, by or out of. Next, students match sentence halves together, adding a suitable preposition. Students then complete descriptions with the correct preposition. Finally, students work with a partner and try to think of one thing to complete each description. show less

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 answer by associating something with the adjective. Next, students ask a partner the same questions and write down their answers. After that, students compare their answers with their partner to see if they both thought of the same things or not. Finally, students give feedback to the class on how many associations they have in common with their partner and discuss the most common associations made by the class, speculating why. As an extension, students choose five adjectives from the worksheet and write as many things they associate with them as possible. Students then read their lists to the class, who guess the adjective. show less

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 that describe the objects in their crossword by completing prompts in each column of a table. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking their partner for a clue to one of their missing words. Their partner reads out the clue for that word, e.g. 'It is heavy. It is made of wood. It is used for sitting on.' If the other student guesses the object successfully, they write it on their crossword. If not, their partner continues to give more clues until the student is able to guess the object. Afterwards, students compare their crosswords to check their spelling. show less

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 match sentence halves together to make sentences that describe objects. Students then put words in bold from the sentences into their correct category: adjective, material, or use. Next, students read about describing objects and identify words that show the correct grammar rules. After that, students complete sentences to describe objects, including their qualities, the materials they're made from, and their uses. Students then write three sentences to describe each object shown using words from a box. Lastly, students think of two objects and describe each one in three sentences to a partner without saying what they are. Their partner then tries to guess each object. show less

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, etc. Students then take turns picking up a card and giving clues about what is on the card to their partner. The first clue must be about the nationality of the thing being described, e.g. 'It is Australian.' Their partner then tries to guess the answer. If they guess correctly the first time, they score five points. If they guess incorrectly, the student gives another clue for four points, and so on. All the way down to zero when the answer is revealed. The student with the most points at the end of the game is the winner. show less

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 on the cards to describe it, making one sentence per card. The other students judge whether each sentence the player makes is acceptable. When a player has used a card successfully to describe their object, they keep the card. Any cards the player was unable to use are put back. The next player then turns over five cards and thinks of a new object, and so on. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins. show less

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 someone from the other group and take turns describing an object to their partner, who has one chance to guess what it is. For each correct guess, students put a tick next to the picture. If a guess is incorrect, students put a cross. The student with the most correct guesses at the end of the game wins. show less

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 and decide which product or products each adjective describes, writing the words in the box next to the product. Next, each pair chooses a different product from the worksheet and writes an advertisement for it using the corresponding adjectives. Each pair then presents their advertisement to the class. Finally, pairs write another product advertisement without mentioning the name of the product and then take turns reading their advertisement to the class who try to guess which product it is. show less

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 the cards represent unknown ancient objects they have dug up. In groups, students then take turns picking up a card and describing the object in detail to the group without saying what it is. The student describes the object's size, shape, colour and what it's made of. The student also says what it was possibly used for according to the description on the card. The other students listen to the description and say what they think the object was actually used for. The first student to give the correct use of the object wins and keeps the card. If no one can correctly guess the use, the students move on to guess what the object is. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins. show less

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. Players take turns picking up and putting down adjective cards. When a player has four adjective cards that describe one of the pictures, they place the cards in front of the picture and describe it, e.g. 'This cheap ice cream is tasty, soft and creamy.' If all the players agree the adjectives match, and the description is appropriate, the student wins and keeps the picture card. The adjective cards are then reshuffled and the game begins again. The student with the most picture cards at the end of the game wins. show less

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 from a box to definitions, think of synonyms and complete sentences with the adjectives. Students then use the adjectives to complete a description of an apartment. After that, students think about how they would describe the place where they live and write new adjectives of size, shape and colour that describe their home and the objects typically found there. Lastly, students write a short paragraph that describes where they live using the adjectives from the worksheet. show less