Writing with Adjectives
Words to Describe Affect: Flat, Blunted, Labile and More
In psychology and medicine, affect (stressed on the first syllable: AF-fect) is a person’s visible emotional expression: what you can…
The right word, for whatever you are trying to describe
Adjective lists for every subject you might write about, and plain-English guides to using them well. Free, and written to be read in a couple of minutes.
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One half teaches you to use adjectives well. The other hands you the words.
251 guides
Writing with Adjectives
How adjectives behave in a sentence — the order they fall into, how they compare, when they carry opinion rather than fact, and how to reach for a vivid word without overreaching.
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Adjectives by Subject
Curated describing words for people, food, places, feelings, work and more — each list sorted by shade of meaning, with example sentences so you can hear how the word behaves.
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Nature & Environment
92 lists
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74 lists
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69 lists
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68 lists
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Writing with Adjectives
Limiting Adjectives: Definition, Types and Examples
Limiting adjectives are words that come before a noun and narrow down which thing or how many you mean, without…
Writing with Adjectives
Adjectives Anchor Chart: What to Put on It, With Ready-to-Copy Examples
A good adjectives anchor chart does one job: it reminds students that an adjective is a word that describes a…
Writing with Adjectives
Adjective + Infinitive: Easy to Read, Happy to Help
An adjective followed by a to-infinitive is one of the most common patterns in English: happy to help, easy to…
Writing with Adjectives
Adjectives Ending in -ly: Friendly, Lovely, Costly and More
Most words ending in -ly are adverbs (quickly, slowly), but a few dozen common ones are adjectives: friendly, lovely, lonely,…
Writing with Adjectives
Postpositive Adjectives: When the Adjective Comes After the Noun
A postpositive adjective is an adjective placed straight after the noun or pronoun it describes, instead of before it: attorney…
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Editors’ picks
Objects & Everyday Things
Describing Your Couch: A Guide to Adjectives
Adjectives are the descriptive powerhouses of the English language, adding color, detail, and specificity to our sentences. When it comes…
Nature & Environment
Describing the Moon: A Guide to Adjectives
The moon, Earth’s celestial companion, has captivated humanity for millennia. Whether it’s a silvery crescent or a radiant full orb,…
Writing with Adjectives
Describing Nightlife: Mastering Adjectives for Vivid Descriptions
Nightlife is a vibrant tapestry of experiences, and the ability to describe it effectively requires a rich vocabulary of adjectives.…
Nature & Environment
Adjectives for October: Describing the Autumn Season
October, a month brimming with crisp air, vibrant colors, and cozy feelings, provides a rich tapestry of experiences that demand…
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Grammar essentials
01
Descriptive Adjectives: Painting Vivid Settings with Words
Writing with Adjectives · 18 min
02
Other Words for Said: Dialogue Tags by Emotion and Tone
Writing with Adjectives · 20 min
03
Descriptive Adjectives: Enhancing Speech and Writing
Writing with Adjectives · 15 min
04
“Fewer” and “Less” Is a Rule Someone Made Up in 1770
Writing with Adjectives · 3 min
05
Continual and Continuous, and the Other Pairs One Letter Apart
Writing with Adjectives · 2 min
06
149 Adjectives That Start With M
Writing with Adjectives · 6 min
07
Interrogative Adjectives: Which, What and Whose
Writing with Adjectives · 2 min
08
Describing the Void: Mastering Adjectives for Silence
Writing with Adjectives · 12 min
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Plain-English grammar guides and curated adjective lists. Free to read, checked against Merriam-Webster, Chicago and AP before publication.
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