TEACHER’S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Describing Places

Activity Type Introduction

Reading, writing, In this rewarding describing places lesson, students learn
listening and speaking adjectives that describe places, famous landmarks and buildings,
activity and practice writing descriptions with the adjectives.

Procedure
Language Focus
Give each student a copy of the lesson.
Describing places

Adjectives Read through the introduction about describing places and go

through some examples with the class.

Aim
To learn adjectives for
describing places, famous
landmarks and buildings
and to practice writing
descriptions with the
adjectives.
Students then write synonyms and antonyms for the listed
adjectives. The students do this by looking up the adjectives in a
dictionary and writing down any new synonyms or antonyms they
find.
For example, when the students look up the adjective 'big', they
might write down the synonym 'huge'.
Afterwards, review the students' answers as a class.

Preparation Students then think of a famous landmark or building and write

a description of it, using the tips and adjectives from the first
Make one copy of the exercise. However, they don't write the name of the place in their
lesson and prepare description. When the students have finished, they take it in turns
a dictionary for each to read their descriptions to the class. The class then tries to
student. guess the famous landmark or building being described.

The students then move on to answer questions and describe

Level pictures of two famous landmarks (Big Ben in London and the
Intermediate (A2-B1) Grand Palace in Bangkok). Students name the famous landmarks
in the pictures, write adjectives to describe them, and use the
adjectives to write descriptions of the landmarks.
Time
When the students have finished, go through the answers and
60 minutes have the students read their descriptions to the class.

Next, students think about the worst place they have ever been
to and write down six negative adjectives to describe it. Students
then write a description of the place.

After that, students write about the same place, but as if they
were a travel agent and had to sell it as a holiday destination to
tourists. Students write down six positive adjectives to describe
the place and a new description.

Finally, have the students read out their two descriptions to the
class and give feedback.

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 DESCRIBING PLACES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Describing Places

If you were trying to describe the Eiffel Tower in Paris, what would you say?

You could say 'It is a tall metal tower in Paris'. This sentence describes the Eiffel Tower, but it
contains short simple words, which don't help you visualize the tower. There are much better
ways to describe the Eiffel Tower that will bring your description to life.

Example: This huge metallic structure towers over the Paris skyline,
dominating the capital city of France.

When giving descriptions of places, it is helpful to think about the following things:

What does the place look like?

What are its main features?
What makes the place stand out from its surroundings?
How does it feel when you are there?

It is also helpful to use a dictionary to find synonyms of the descriptive words or adjectives you
already know and use the new words you find in your descriptions.

A. What synonyms and antonyms can you use for the following adjectives? Look the adjectives
up in a dictionary. Write down any new synonyms or antonyms you find. Try to write at least
five new words for each adjective.

1. big: _______________________________________________________________________

2. beautiful: __________________________________________________________________

3. busy: _____________________________________________________________________

4. famous: ___________________________________________________________________

5. old: ______________________________________________________________________

6. amazing: __________________________________________________________________

7. unique: ___________________________________________________________________

B. Using the tips and adjectives above, think of a famous landmark or building and write a
description of it. However, don't write the name of the place you are describing.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

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 DESCRIBING PLACES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Describing Places

C. Now, read your description to the class and see if they can guess the famous landmark or
building being described.

D. Answer the questions about the pictures.

1. What famous landmark can you see in the picture? _______________________________

2. What adjectives can you use to describe it? _____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

3. Use the adjectives to write a description of the famous landmark: ____________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

1. What famous landmark can you see in the picture? _______________________________

2. What adjectives can you use to describe it? _____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

3. Use the adjectives to write a description of the famous landmark: ____________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

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 DESCRIBING PLACES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Describing Places

E. Think about the worst place you've ever been to. Write down six negative adjectives to
describe it.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Write a description of the place. Write about what the place looks like, its features and
surroundings, and what it felt like when you were there.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

F. Now, write about the same place, but as if you were a travel agent and you had to sell it as
a holiday destination to tourists. Write down six positive adjectives to describe it.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Write your new description below.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

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