Feelings and opposites in English
Expressing feelings is one of the things children and adults need most in English. Feeling words, opposite adjectives, and everyday sentences.
By Aslıgül Aşkın,
Guide: Learning vocabulary. Main post: Why don't new words stick? Five ways to forget less
Expressing feelings is one of the most needed skills in English; a child who can say “I'm tired” or “I'm scared” can explain themselves much better. Opposites make it easier to compare feelings and things too.
Feelings
happy, sad, angry, scared, tired, excited, bored, worried, surprised, calm, proud, nervous.
Talking about feelings
- “How do you feel?”
- “I feel happy.”
- “I'm a bit nervous about the exam.”
- “Why are you sad?”
- “Because my friend is moving away.”
Note that “bored” and “boring” differ: “I'm bored.” but “The film is boring.”
Opposites
big – small, hot – cold, fast – slow, happy – sad, old – new, old – young, easy – difficult, open – closed, full – empty, early – late.
A game idea
One person says a word and the other quickly says its opposite: “Big!” “Small!” With children, make feelings cards: show a facial expression, let the child name the feeling in English and say when they feel it.
To keep going, see Afraid to speak English? Five steps to feel less anxious and First English words for children: colours, numbers, animals, and the body.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between “bored” and “boring”?
The “-ed” form describes how a person feels, the “-ing” form what causes it: “I'm bored.”, “The film is boring.”
Why does “old” have two opposites?
Use “old – new” for things and “old – young” for people.
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