Five Senses Board Game

Elementary (A1-A2) 20 minutes
ESL sense verbs board game preview for A1-A2 showing dice game, noun and adjective squares, and sentence practice

ESL Sense Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Controlled Practice - Pair Work

In this free sense verbs board game, students practice forming sentences with the verbs: look, smell, taste, sound, and feel. In pairs, students take turns rolling the dice and moving their counter along...

ESL Sense Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Forming Sentences from Prompts, Controlled Practice - Pair Work In this free sense verbs board game, students practice forming sentences with the verbs: look, smell, taste, sound, and feel. In pairs, students take turns rolling the dice and moving their counter along the board. When a student lands on a square, they choose an appropriate sense verb from the board and create a sentence using the noun and adjective in the square, e.g. 'The flowers look beautiful.' If their partner agrees the sentence is correct, the student remains on the square. If the student uses the wrong sense verb or makes a mistake with the verb form, they go back two squares. The first student to reach the finish wins the game.
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Sensational Adjectives

Elementary (A1-A2) 25 minutes
ESL sense adjectives activity preview for A1-A2 showing matching sentence halves with sensory adjectives

ESL Sense Adjectives Activity - Vocabulary: Matching, Sentence Completion - Pair Work

In this enjoyable sense adjectives activity, students race to match sentence halves and complete them with sensory adjectives. First, Student A reads each sentence beginning to their partner, who chooses a suitable sense adjective and ending from...

ESL Sense Adjectives Activity - Vocabulary: Matching, Sentence Completion - Pair Work In this enjoyable sense adjectives activity, students race to match sentence halves and complete them with sensory adjectives. First, Student A reads each sentence beginning to their partner, who chooses a suitable sense adjective and ending from their worksheet. Their partner then reads the ending to the other student. If the other student agrees it's correct, they write it down. If not, they ask for another ending. When Student A has completed all their sentences, the two students swap roles. The first pair to complete all the sentences correctly wins.
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Makes Sense

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL sense verbs and adjectives worksheet preview for A2 showing gap-fill, table, and matching activities

ESL Sense Verbs and Adjectives Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Table Completion, Gap-fill, Matching, Error Correction

In this comprehensive sense verbs and adjectives worksheet, students learn and practice how to use the verbs taste, feel, look, sound and smell with sense adjectives. First, students complete a five...

ESL Sense Verbs and Adjectives Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Table Completion, Gap-fill, Matching, Error Correction In this comprehensive sense verbs and adjectives worksheet, students learn and practice how to use the verbs taste, feel, look, sound and smell with sense adjectives. First, students complete a five senses table using words from a box. Next, students complete sentences using sense verbs from the table in their correct form. Students then underline the sense adjective in each sentence. After that, students write the senses that certain adjectives are usually associated with. Students then complete sentences using some of the sense adjectives from Exercise B. Students then move on to match each sense adjective from a box with its opposite from the sentences. Lastly, students correct errors in sentences that contain sense verbs and adjectives.
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Sensational Pairs

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL sense verbs and adjectives activity preview for A2 showing unscrambling, guessing, and sentence forming

ESL Sense Verbs and Adjectives Activity - Vocabulary Exercises: Unscrambling, Gap-fill - Speaking Game: Forming Sentences, Guessing - Pair Work

In this useful sense verbs and adjectives activity, students unscramble sense adjectives and then use them in a guessing game along with the sense verbs look, feel...

ESL Sense Verbs and Adjectives Activity - Vocabulary Exercises: Unscrambling, Gap-fill - Speaking Game: Forming Sentences from Prompts, Guessing - Pair Work In this useful sense verbs and adjectives activity, students unscramble sense adjectives and then use them in a guessing game along with the sense verbs look, feel, taste, smell and sound. Students begin by unscrambling letters to create sense adjectives. Next, students write two things that match the description in each box. After that, students play a guessing game with a partner using the sense adjectives and the sense verbs look, feel, taste, smell and sound. Students take it in turns to say only the two words they wrote for each description to their partner who has one minute to guess what the two things have in common by saying a sentence with a sense verb and adjective. e.g. 'They are two things that smell nice'. If their partner guesses correctly within one minute, the student puts a tick in the box. The student with the most correct guesses at the end of the game wins.
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Super Senses

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL sense verbs and adjectives speaking activity for A2 showing crossword clues, sensory descriptions, and guessing

ESL Sense Verbs and Adjectives Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Writing Crossword Clues, Describing, Guessing - Group and Pair Work

In this creative sense verbs and adjectives speaking activity, students describe words with sensory verbs and adjectives for a partner to guess in order to...

ESL Sense Verbs and Adjectives Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Writing Crossword Clues, Describing, Guessing - Group and Pair Work In this creative sense verbs and adjectives speaking activity, students describe words with sensory verbs and adjectives for a partner to guess in order to complete a crossword. In two groups, students invent and write down clues to the words shown on their crossword using sense verbs and adjectives, e.g. 'It feels cold. It looks pretty.' Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking their partner for clues to their missing words. Their partner reads out the clue for each word, and the other student tries to guess what it is. If the student guesses the word successfully, they write it on their crossword. If not, their partner continues to give more clues until they guess the word. This continues until both students have completed their crosswords.
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Name Two

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
ESL five senses board game preview for B1 showing group naming and sentence forming activities

ESL Five Senses Board Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Naming, Forming Sentences - Group Work

In this fun five senses board game, students name two things that match with sensory adjectives. One team member starts by picking up a card and asking their partner to name two things that...

ESL Five Senses Board Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Naming, Forming Sentences - Group Work In this fun five senses board game, students name two things that match with sensory adjectives. One team member starts by picking up a card and asking their partner to name two things that match the sensory adjective on the card, e.g. 'Name two things that feel rough'. Their partner then has one minute to say two things using the sense verb and adjective, e.g. 'Two things that feel rough are a coconut and coral.' If the team member names two things successfully, they roll the dice and move their team's counter along the board. If not, the team remains on the same square. It's then the other team's turn to play. The first team to reach the 'Finish' square wins the game.
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Sensational Orders

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL sense adjectives and verbs game preview for B1-B2 showing pair describing, matching, and question activities

ESL Sense Adjectives and Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Describing, Matching, Asking and Answering Questions - Pair Work

In this free sense adjectives and verbs game, students order pictures by listening to descriptions of how the items look, feel, taste and smell. Student A places...

ESL Sense Adjectives and Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Describing, Matching, Asking and Answering Questions - Pair Work In this free sense adjectives and verbs game, students order pictures by listening to descriptions of how the items look, feel, taste and smell. Student A places their picture cards in a random order on a number board. The aim of the game is for Student B to arrange the pictures in the same order as their partner. Student A begins by describing the picture in square one by saying what the item looks like, feels like, smells like or tastes like. Student B listens and finds a matching picture, placing it over square one. The two students do this without revealing their answers. If Student B is unsure, they can ask more questions, e.g. 'What does it look/feel/taste/smell like?' Student A continues describing each picture in turn until Student B's board is complete. Student A then reveals the answer for each numbered square. Student B scores one point for each correct match. The two students then swap roles and repeat the game. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.
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Sense Verbs

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL sense verbs worksheet preview for B1 showing brainstorming, gap-fill, and pair description practice

ESL Sense Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Table Completion, Gap-fill, Sentence Completion - Speaking Activity: Forming Sentences - Pair Work

In this productive sense verbs worksheet, students learn and practice sensory verbs and adjectives. Students begin by reading about sense verbs (look, feel...

ESL Sense Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Table Completion, Gap-fill, Sentence Completion - Speaking Activity: Forming Sentences, Freer Practice - Pair Work In this productive sense verbs worksheet, students learn and practice sensory verbs and adjectives. Students begin by reading about sense verbs (look, feel, sound, taste and smell) and the adjectives that can be used with each one. Students then brainstorm other adjectives that can go with the five sense verbs and add them to a list. Next, students complete sentences with the sense verbs: look, feel, sound, taste or smell. Students then move on to look at pictures and complete sentences with suitable adjectives. Finally, in pairs, students take it in turns to describe items using sense verbs and adjectives as appropriate.
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Sweet Sensations

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL sense adjective games preview for B1 showing matching and describing activities with pictures and sensory adjectives

ESL Sense Adjective Games - Vocabulary and Speaking: Pelmanism, Matching, Describing, Guessing - Group Work

In these two engaging sense adjective games, students play a matching game where they match sense adjectives to pictures and then play a describing game in which they describe the pictures in terms of...

ESL Sense Adjective Games - Vocabulary and Speaking: Pelmanism, Matching, Describing, Guessing - Group Work In these two engaging sense adjective games, students play a matching game where they match sense adjectives to pictures and then play a describing game in which they describe the pictures in terms of how the things feel, taste, smell and look. In groups, students take it in turns to turn over a sensory adjective card and a picture card. If the sensory adjective matches with the word on the picture card, the student keeps the two cards and has another turn. If the cards don't match, the student turns them back over. The student with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner. Students then move on to play a describing game with the picture cards. Students take it in turns to choose one of their picture cards. The other group members ask the student questions about what the thing on the card feels like, tastes like, smells like and looks like, e.g. 'What does it feel like?' The student answers accordingly, e.g. 'It feels rough'. The first group member to correctly guess the word on the card wins and keeps the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
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Five Senses Game

Upper-intermediate (B2) 25 minutes
ESL five senses game preview for B2 showing student description and group guessing with sensory adjectives

ESL Five Senses Game - Vocabulary: Describing, Guessing - Group Work

Here is an entertaining five senses game to help students practice sensory verbs and adjectives. In groups, students take it in turns to pick up a card and describe the word on the card to the group using the two prompts on the card and then...

ESL Five Senses Game - Vocabulary: Describing, Guessing - Group Work Here is an entertaining five senses game to help students practice sensory verbs and adjectives. In groups, students take it in turns to pick up a card and describe the word on the card to the group using the two prompts on the card and then adding more clues. For example, if the word is 'ice cream', the student might say: It tastes sweet and creamy. It feels cold. It can also taste fruity or chocolaty, etc. The first student to correctly guess what is being described wins and keeps the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
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What is it?

Upper-intermediate (B2) 30 minutes
ESL sense adjectives and verbs game preview for B2 showing description and guessing for group practice

ESL Sense Adjectives and Verbs Game - Vocabulary: Describing Things, Guessing - Group Work

In this imaginative sense adjectives and verbs game, students describe different things using sensory adjectives and verbs for others to guess. In groups, students look at their cards and think about how they...

ESL Sense Adjectives and Verbs Game - Vocabulary: Describing Things, Guessing - Group Work In this imaginative sense adjectives and verbs game, students describe different things using sensory adjectives and verbs for others to guess. In groups, students look at their cards and think about how they could describe the things on their cards in terms of how they look, feel, taste, sound and smell. After preparing their descriptions, students take it in turns to describe one of their picture cards to the group, e.g. 'It can be various colours. It tastes very sweet. It doesn't make any noise. It feels soft and sticky. It usually looks round, but it can be other shapes.' The first student to correctly guess what is being described (e.g. cake) wins and keeps the card. If the group members are unable to make a correct guess after one minute, the student describing keeps the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
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Understanding Sense Verbs and Adjectives

Sense verbs are linking verbs such as 'look', 'feel', 'taste', 'smell', and 'sound' that connect a subject to an adjective describing a sensory quality. Students who confuse sense verbs with action verbs and add an adverb instead of an adjective produce errors like 'It smells nicely' rather than 'It smells nice', which immediately signals a gap in their grammar accuracy.

This page covers sense verbs and adjectives across A1-A2, A2, B1, and B2 levels, with eleven resources spanning board games, worksheets, pair activities, and group guessing games, two of which are available as free downloads.

The table below lists each sense verb with its associated sense type, a set of typical adjectives, and an example sentence showing the verb used naturally.

Sense VerbSense TypeExample AdjectivesExample Sentence
look sight beautiful, bright, dark, pale, shiny, dull 'The sky looks grey today.'
sound hearing loud, quiet, strange, familiar, harsh, soothing 'Her voice sounds familiar.'
smell scent fresh, stale, sweet, musty, strong, unpleasant 'The bread smells fresh.'
taste flavour sweet, bitter, salty, sour, spicy, bland 'This soup tastes too salty.'
feel touch soft, rough, smooth, cold, warm, sticky 'The fabric feels soft.'

When to Use Sense Verbs and Adjectives

Describing food and drink: Sense verbs are the natural choice when a speaker or writer wants to describe how food or drink registers across the senses, making descriptions feel immediate and vivid rather than abstract, as in 'The coffee smells rich and tastes slightly bitter.'

Describing places and atmosphere: Writers use sense verbs to bring settings to life by appealing directly to the reader's senses rather than stating facts about a location, as in 'The old library felt cold and smelled of dust.'

Expressing a personal reaction or impression: A speaker uses 'feel', 'sound', or 'look' to signal a subjective impression rather than an objective fact, which softens a statement and makes it sound less blunt, as in 'That sounds like a good idea' rather than 'That is a good idea.'

3-Step Framework for Teaching Sense Verbs and Adjectives

1. Map the Verbs and Adjectives: Start with a structured worksheet that builds the full vocabulary set before any speaking practice begins. Students complete a five senses table using words from a box, then work through gap-fill and matching exercises, and finish by correcting errors in sentences that contain sense verbs and adjectives, which tests both verb choice and adjective use in one step.

2. Describe to Match: Move students into a communicative picture description task where one partner arranges picture cards on a numbered board and describes each one using sense verbs and adjectives while the other student listens and tries to arrange their own cards in the same order. If the listener is unsure, they ask questions such as 'What does it look/feel/taste/smell like?' to get more detail.

3. Describe to Guess: Push students to produce extended, multi-sense descriptions under pressure with a group guessing game. Students prepare descriptions covering how things look, feel, taste, sound, and smell, then deliver them one clue at a time while the group races to guess the word. A description like 'It can be various colours. It tastes very sweet. It doesn't make any noise. It feels soft and sticky' shows the level of detail students are aiming for.

Common Mistakes with Sense Verbs and Adjectives

Using 'be' instead of a sense verb: Students often default to 'is' or 'are' in descriptive sentences where a sense verb would be more natural and precise, because they reach for the simplest linking verb rather than choosing the one that specifies which sense is involved. Wrong: 'This soup is very salty.' Correct: 'This soup tastes very salty.'

Using the progressive form of a sense verb: Students often write sense verbs in the continuous tense by analogy with action verbs, not realizing that sense verbs in this linking function are stative and do not take the -ing form. Wrong: 'The soup is tasting salty.' Correct: 'The soup tastes salty.'

Common Questions About Teaching Sense Verbs and Adjectives

What is a fun board game for practicing sense verbs and adjectives?

The board game Five Senses Board Game gives students controlled practice with look, smell, taste, sound, and feel. Players roll the dice, land on a square showing a noun and adjective such as 'flowers/beautiful,' and build a grammatically correct sense verb sentence. Using the wrong sense verb or adjective form sends them back two squares, so accuracy matters throughout.

What is a useful worksheet for teaching sense verbs and adjectives?

The worksheet Sense Verbs opens with a reference section explaining which adjectives pair with each of the five sense verbs, so students see the full picture before they practice. They then brainstorm additional adjectives, complete gap-fill and sentence completion exercises, and finish with a speaking stage where they describe items using sense verbs and adjectives together.

What is an engaging activity for practicing sense adjectives?

In the activity Sweet Sensations, students describe picture cards using sense adjectives and field live questions like 'What does it feel like?' from the group, which pushes them to produce accurate sense adjective sentences on the spot. The activity opens with a competitive pelmanism stage where students match sense adjective cards to pictures, building the vocabulary they need before describing.

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