2
Words that describe
Discover Term 2: Axis 4, Chapter 1
GoalUse describing words for what we see, smell, taste, touch and hear, and describe materials.
New words
opposite · a word with the other meaning, like big and smallrough · bumpy to touch, not smooth
Explanation
Describing words tell us what something is like. With our eyes we say big or small. With our nose we say a good smell or a bad smell. With our tongue we say sweet or sour. With our fingers we say smooth or rough, soft or hard. With our ears we say loud or quiet. We can describe materials too. A wool scarf is soft. A brick is hard and rough. Glass is smooth. Many describing words are opposites.
| sense | describing words |
|---|---|
| see | big, small |
| smell | good smell, bad smell |
| taste | sweet, sour |
| touch | smooth, rough, soft, hard |
| hear | loud, quiet |
Worked examples
A lemon tastes sour. Honey tastes sweet.
A wool scarf feels soft. A brick feels hard and rough.
A loudspeaker is loud. A sleeping baby is quiet.
Class activity
Feely bag: a grown-up puts four safe things in a bag, such as a sponge, a spoon, a piece of cloth and a pebble. Put your hand in without looking. Use two describing words for what you feel. Then guess the thing and draw it.
Practice
1
Which word fits a rock: soft or hard?
Hard.
2
What is the opposite of big?
Small.
3
Use two words to describe a teddy bear.
For example: soft and small.
4
Which sense do we use to say smooth or rough?
Touch, with our fingers.
5
Say loud or quiet for a mouse.
Quiet.