Teaching Adjectives of Size, Shape, and Colour: A Fun and Interactive ESL Activity. Engaging Language Learners with Adjectives of Size, Shape, and Colour – Free Printable PDFs
Teaching Adjectives of Size, Shape, and Colour
Teaching Adjectives of Size, Shape, and Colour
Are you looking for an interactive ESL lesson on adjectives to engage your students? Teaching adjectives of size, shape, and colour is an essential part of building vocabulary in any language classroom. This fun and competitive activity will help students categorize adjectives while reinforcing their meanings through group work, explanations, and sentence-building exercises.
Step-by-Step Procedure for Teaching Adjectives of Size, Shape, and Colour
1. Prepare Your Materials
Before class, print a copy of the adjective worksheet for each student. The worksheet should include a list of adjectives related to size, shape, and colour for easy reference and categorization.
2. Organize the Class into Small Teams
Divide students into teams of three to encourage teamwork and discussion. Distribute the worksheets and explain that they will sort the adjectives into three categories: Size, Shape, and Colour.
3. Set a Time Limit
Give students ten minutes to categorize the adjectives. This time constraint encourages quick thinking and teamwork.
4. Check and Score the Answers
Once the time is up, have the teams call out their answers. Read an adjective (e.g., triangular) and ask a team where it belongs. If the answer is correct, all teams with the same answer get one point.
5. Reinforce Meaning with Explanations
If a team answers correctly, they must explain the meaning of the adjective. They can do this by:
- Drawing the shape on the board.
- Pointing to an object that represents the adjective.
- Making a sentence using the adjective in context.
If they successfully explain the adjective, they earn an extra point. If a team answers incorrectly, the next team gets a chance.
6. Determine the Winning Team
Continue the process until all adjectives have been categorized and explained. The team with the most points at the end wins the game.
Adjective List for the Activity
Size Adjectives
colossal, great, gigantic, huge, immense, little, mammoth, massive, miniature, petite, puny, scrawny, small, teeny, tiny
Shape Adjectives
broad, conical, crooked, cubical, curved, cylindrical, flat, narrow, oval, rectangular, round, spherical, square, straight, triangular
Colour Adjectives
beige, black, bright, brown, dark, dull, fluorescent, gray, green, light, pale, purple, turquoise, violet, yellow
Extension Activity: Using Adjectives in Sentences
To reinforce adjective order in English (size + shape + colour), ask students to create five sentences using words from each category. Example:
- The gigantic round green balloon floated into the sky.
- She bought a tiny square yellow gift box.
This exercise helps students understand how adjective order works in English and ensures they can use the words in context.
Why This Activity Works for ESL Learners
- Encourages teamwork – Students discuss and debate answers together.
- Reinforces vocabulary – Learners categorize, explain, and use adjectives in sentences.
- Makes learning fun – A competitive element keeps students engaged.
- Develops speaking skills – Explaining adjectives in their own words boosts confidence.
Final Thoughts
This interactive ESL lesson on adjectives of size, shape, and colour is an excellent way to build vocabulary while making learning enjoyable. Whether you’re teaching young learners or adults, this activity ensures active participation and retention.
Try it in your classroom and watch your students improve their adjective usage effortlessly!
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Expanding Vocabulary with Opposites
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More ESL Classroom Games & Activities
Looking for more fun grammar activities for your English class? Check out these ideas:
✅ ESL Speaking Games to improve fluency
✅ Grammar Board Games for practicing sentence structures
✅ Interactive Writing Activities for ESL learners
