🎨 Describing Words

What your child will learn

• Students will be able to identify describing words (adjectives) in a sentence and say what they describe.
• Students will be able to sort describing words into categories: size, colour, shape, taste, feel and number.
• Students will be able to place a describing word correctly before a noun in a sentence.
• Students will be able to use the pattern 'The [noun] is [describing word]' to describe something.
• Students will be able to form the comparative (-er) and superlative (-est) forms of common adjectives and use them in sentences.
• Students will be able to add a describing word to a simple sentence to make it more interesting.

Lessons in this unit

1. What are describing words?: Introduce describing words as words that tell more about a noun. Identify them in simple sentences.
2. Kinds of describing words: Sort describing words into categories: size, colour, shape, taste, feel and number. Use examples from familiar contexts.
3. Describing word before the noun: Place the describing word before the noun it describes (e.g., a red kite, a big ball).
4. The noun is describing word: Use the pattern 'The [noun] is [describing word]' to describe something (e.g., The kite is red).
5. Comparing with -er and -est: Form the comparative (-er) and superlative (-est) of common adjectives and use them to compare two and more than two things.
6. Making sentences interesting: Add describing words to simple sentences to make them more interesting and detailed.

Key words

describing word

A word that tells you more about a thing, like its size, colour or shape.

adjective

Another name for a describing word.

noun

A naming word for a person, animal, place or thing.

compare

To look at two or more things and see how they are the same or different.

-er

We add -er to a describing word when we talk about two things (e.g., bigger).

-est

We add -est to a describing word when we talk about three or more things (e.g., biggest).

Help your child at home

What to watch for

Every word that comes before a noun is a describing word (e.g., 'the' is a describing word).

Help: Describing words tell you about the thing (size, colour, etc.). 'The' just points to it.

A word like 'round' is a colour because it is often used with coloured objects.

Help: Ask: 'Does it tell you the shape or the colour?' Round tells you the shape.

The describing word can go anywhere in the phrase (e.g., 'kite red').

Help: In English, the describing word comes before the noun. Say it together: 'red kite'.

The describing word always comes before the noun, so 'The kite is red' is wrong.

Help: Both are correct, but they are different patterns. 'The kite is red' uses 'is' to connect.

Try this at home

• Point to the describing word in a sentence.
• Sort a set of word cards into the correct category.
• Arrange word cards to make a phrase.
• Look at a picture and say 'The ___ is ___'.

Quick questions to ask aloud

1. Read: 'The red ball is on the grass.' Which word is a describing word? (red / ball / grass)
   Show answer

   'Red' tells you what kind of ball it is. So 'red' is a describing word.
2. Which category does 'sweet' belong to? (taste / colour / shape)
   Show answer

   'Sweet' tells you how something tastes, like a mango. So it is a taste word.
3. Which is the correct way to say it? (a red kite / a kite red / red a kite)
   Show answer

   We say 'a red kite' – the describing word 'red' comes before the noun 'kite'.

Parent guide: how to help your child with Class 3 English

Frequently asked questions

What will my child learn in "Describing Words" (Class 3 English)?

Your child will be able to: identify describing words (adjectives) in a sentence and say what they describe.; sort describing words into categories: size, colour, shape, taste, feel and number.; place a describing word correctly before a noun in a sentence.; use the pattern 'The [noun] is [describing word]' to describe something.; form the comparative (-er) and superlative (-est) forms of common adjectives and use them in sentences.; add a describing word to a simple sentence to make it more interesting..

How does MangoMindz teach "Describing Words"?

In 6 short parts (What are describing words?, Kinds of describing words, Describing word before the noun, The noun is describing word, Comparing with -er and -est, Making sentences interesting). Each part has a picture-based lesson read aloud by Mango Teacher, a quick check, and a quiz built from common mistakes children make, with Mango, a study buddy, for questions.

How long does "Describing Words" take?

About 120 minutes in total, spread over 6 parts of 15–25 minutes each.

How can I help my child with "Describing Words" at home?

Work through a small example together, such as: Point to the describing word in a sentence.; Sort a set of word cards into the correct category.. Then ask a quick question aloud: Read: 'The red ball is on the grass.' Which word is a describing word? (red / ball / grass)

What mistakes do children often make in "Describing Words"?

Every word that comes before a noun is a describing word (e.g., 'the' is a describing word). Fix: Describing words tell you about the thing (size, colour, etc.). 'The' just points to it. A word like 'round' is a colour because it is often used with coloured objects. Fix: Ask: 'Does it tell you the shape or the colour?' Round tells you the shape. The describing word can go anywhere in the phrase (e.g., 'kite red'). Fix: In English, the describing word comes before the noun. Say it together: 'red kite'.

Is "Describing Words" free on MangoMindz?

Yes. Every lesson part and quiz in "Describing Words" is free on MangoMindz, with no ads.