Size Adjectives
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| big / large | of great size — That's a big house. |
| small / little | of low size — She has a small dog. |
| tall | of great height (people, buildings) — He is very tall. |
| short | of low height — She's quite short for her age. |
| long | of great length — It's a long journey. |
| wide | of great breadth — The river is very wide here. |
| narrow | of small breadth — The street is too narrow for two cars. |
| thick | of great depth or width — A thick book. |
| thin | of small depth — A thin layer of ice. |
Quality Adjectives
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| good | positive quality — That's a good idea! |
| bad | negative quality — The weather was bad all week. |
| beautiful | very pleasing to look at — What a beautiful sunset! |
| ugly | unpleasant to look at — That painting is quite ugly. |
| clean | free from dirt — The kitchen is very clean. |
| dirty | not clean — My trainers are dirty. |
| new | recently made or bought — She has a new phone. |
| old | existing for a long time — This is an old building. |
| easy | not difficult — The test was easy. |
| difficult / hard | requiring effort — This puzzle is really difficult. |
Tip In English, adjectives come before the noun they describe: "a beautiful garden", "a difficult question." Adjectives can also follow the verb "be": "The garden is beautiful." They never change form — no masculine/feminine or plural endings in English!
Personality Adjectives
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| kind | caring and generous — She's a very kind person. |
| friendly | easy to like and talk to — The teacher is very friendly. |
| funny | making people laugh — He's so funny! |
| clever / smart | intelligent — She's the cleverest student in the class. |
| brave | not afraid — It was brave of you to speak in public. |
| lazy | not wanting to work — Don't be lazy — do your homework! |
| honest | truthful and trustworthy — Always be honest. |
| generous | giving freely — He's very generous with his time. |
| shy | nervous around people, quiet — She's too shy to ask questions. |
| confident | sure of oneself — Try to be more confident when speaking. |
Common Opposites
| English | Opposite |
|---|---|
| big | small |
| tall | short |
| good | bad |
| clean | dirty |
| easy | difficult |
| new | old |
| beautiful | ugly |
| kind | unkind / mean |
| brave | cowardly |
| shy | confident |
Real world: Describing people and places
"My school is a big, old building, but the classrooms are clean and bright." "My best friend is funny, kind, and very clever — but a little shy with new people." "The new shopping centre is modern and beautiful, but the car park is quite narrow and difficult to use."
Practice Problems
Where do adjectives go in an English sentence — before or after the noun?
Show answer
Before the noun: 'a beautiful garden', 'a difficult question.'
What is the opposite of 'generous'?
Show answer
mean / selfish
Give a sentence using an adjective after the verb 'be'.
Show answer
For example: 'The film was boring.' / 'She is very clever.'
What is the difference between 'tall' and 'long'?
Show answer
'Tall' describes height (people, buildings); 'long' describes length (roads, films, hair).