Adjectives for Describing Objects- Opposites Games

Adjectives for describing objects opposites games

Instructions for teachers

Adjectives for describing objects opposites jigsaw and reversi games

If you want to play both games, you will need two copies of the worksheet per group to cut up in different ways (see below). Then make one copy per student for them to check their answers with and keep for reference/ revision.

 

Adjectives for describing objects jigsaw game

Make one copy per group of two to four students. Cut down the middle vertically to make two columns with opposite adjectives in different columns. Cut up each column so that each card is made up of at least two or three cells of the table, e.g. “bent/ curved”, “bright” and “broad/ wide” all on one card together. For groups who are likely to find matching the words difficult, you can make (some) bigger cards of four or even five boxes each. Don’t cut (most of) the cards up into individual boxes. As much as possible, try to make the places where you cut the cards different for each column, e.g. four cards on the left and three cards on the right each time.

Give out the cards and ask students to put them together so that each row has words with opposite meanings. They can do this even if they don’t know all the words, because if they find one match then the words above or below must also match. The finished jigsaw will form a nice rectangle shape.

If they get stuck you can:

• Tell them that most of them they are organised into categories, in this order:

Size

Dimensions

Shape

Other appearance

Touch (texture etc)

Operation

Age

Selling points

Current state

• Tell them which words should go on the left
• Give them a few key matches
• Read out the answers in order while they listen without touching, then let them try again

Let them check their answers by reading out the whole list or by giving out the worksheet, then they can test each other in pairs by:

• Reading out two cards from anywhere on the worksheet and seeing if their partner can spot if they are opposites or not
• Reading out two synonyms (from the very same box) or two antonyms, and seeing if their partner can work out if they have the same meaning or opposite meanings
• Reading out one and seeing if their partner can say the opposite back
• Explaining, drawing and/ or miming opposites without saying either word until their partner says one or both forms

Adjectives for describing things reversi games

Cut along the worksheet horizontally (only), so that the cards are joined in opposites pairs, e.g. with “bent/ curved” and “straight” next to each other on the same card. Students spread the cards across the table and then fold them so that opposite words are on opposite sides of the card, with either word top.

Students take turns trying to think of what is on the other side of the cards, turning them over to check each time. If their guess is right, they leave that card turned over (so that next time the transformation has to be done the other way round) and try the next card. You can let students choose which cards they want each time, or for more challenge get them to put the cards in a column and start from the bottom of the column each time. The winner could be the first person to reach a certain number of correct guesses in a row without making a mistake (e.g. seven in a row), the person with the highest number of correct guesses throughout the game, or the person who manages the longest string of correct guesses in a row during the whole game (without needing to keep a total score). 

 

Adjectives for describing objects drawing and miming games

See instructions for students on each worksheet.

 

Adjectives for describing objects opposites jigsaw and reversi cards to cut up 

big/ bulky/ large	compact/ little/ small
enormous/ huge/ massive	tiny/ miniscule/ microscopic
deep	shallow
broad/ wide	narrow
thick	thin
pointed/ pointy/ sharp	rounded/ blunt
bent/ curved	straight
bright	dim/ dark
clean/ spotless	dirty/ dusty/ filthy/ muddy
neat/ tidy	messy/ untidy
upside down	the right way up
attractive	ugly
beautiful/ gorgeous/ stunning	hideous
bumpy/ dented/ rough/ bobbly	flat/ smooth

 

 

firm/ hard/ solid	soft/ spongy/ squashy
sticky	slippery
cold	hot
boiling	freezing
cool	warm
loose	(skin)tight
heavy	(feather)light
bendy/ flexible	stiff
loud/ noisy/ ear-splitting	quiet/ (nearly) silent
complex/ complicated	simple/ user friendly
reliable	unreliable
efficient	inefficient
automatic	manual
disposable	reusable
moving/ portable	fixed/ stable/ steady/ stationary

 

 

broken/ out of order	fixed/ mended/ repaired/ working
breakable/ fragile	hard-wearing/ hardy/ sturdy
heat sensitive	heat resistant/ heatproof
conducting	insulating
modern/ up-to-date/ cutting edge	old-fashioned/ out-of-date
ancient/ antique	brand new/ cutting edge/ the latest
deflated/ flat/ burst	inflated
well designed	badly designed
custom-made/ tailor-made	off-the-shelf/ standard
cheap/ reasonable	expensive/ pricey
common/ popular	rare/ exclusive
empty	full
closed/ shut	open
horizontal/ lying down/ lying flat	vertical/ sticking up

 

Adjectives for describing objects opposites drawing games

Choose one of the rows from below and draw something to represent adjectives on both sides. If your partner can’t guess, keep on drawing. If they still can’t guess, give other hints such as first letters, or let them look at the list of options below.

big/ bulky/ large	compact/ little/ small
enormous/ huge/ massive	tiny/ miniscule/ microscopic
deep	shallow
broad/ wide	narrow
thick	thin
pointed/ pointy/ sharp	rounded/ blunt
bent/ curved	straight
clean/ spotless	dirty/ dusty/ filthy/ muddy
neat/ tidy	messy/ untidy
upside down	the right way up
attractive/ gorgeous/ stunning	ugly/ hideous
bumpy/ dented/ rough/ bobbly	flat/ smooth
cold/ freezing	hot/ boiling

 

 

loose	(skin)tight
heavy	(feather)light
loud/ noisy/ ear-splitting	quiet/ (nearly) silent
complex/ complicated	simple/ user friendly
automatic	manual
broken/ out of order	fixed/ mended/ repaired/ working
modern/ new	old(-fashioned)/ antique
deflated/ flat/ burst	inflated
cheap/ reasonable	expensive/ pricey
empty	full
closed/ shut	open
horizontal/ lying down/ lying flat	vertical/ sticking up

 

Adjectives for describing objects miming games

Choose a row from below and mime the adjectives on both sides until your partner guesses what words you are acting out. Start by not speaking and without your partner looking below, but if they can’t guess you can give them a first letter, let them look at the options below, etc.

bent/ curved	straight
bendy/ flexible	stiff
bright	dim/ dark
broad/ wide	narrow
bumpy/ dented/ rough/ bobbly	flat/ smooth
big/ bulky/ large	compact/ little/ small
enormous/ huge/ massive	tiny/ miniscule/ microscopic
neat/ tidy	messy/ untidy
thick	thin
pointed/ pointy/ sharp	rounded/ blunt
firm/ hard/ solid	soft/ spongy/ squashy
heavy	(feather)light
sticky	slippery

 

 

hot/ boiling/ warm	cold/ freezing/ cool
loose	(skin)tight
loud/ noisy	quiet/ silent
moving	fixed/ stable/ steady/ stationary
closed/ shut	open
disposable	reusable
broken/ out of order	fixed/ mended/ repaired/ working
deflated/ flat/ burst	inflated
horizontal/ lying down/ lying flat	vertical/ sticking up