LEARN A WORD A DAY

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

USEFUL LIST OF WORDS

USEFUL LIST OF WORDS

1 DESCRIBING PEOPLE

Physical Attributes

Shape/Size
chubby
fat
lanky
muscular
of average height
of average size
of medium height
paunchy
plump
short
skinny
slim
stout
tall
thin
well-built
shape of 
face
broad
heart-shaped
oval
round
square
thin
cheeks
dimpled
fat
pale
rosy
sunken
nose
aquiline
big
crooked
flaring nostrils
flat
hooked
mouth
big lips
pouting mouth
thick lips
thin lips
toothless smile
rosebud lips
yellow teeth
chin
cleft chin
double chin
pointed chin
square jaw
skin/
complexion
dark
fair
freckles
petal-soft
pimples
pockmarks
scarred
smooth
soft
well-tanned
wrinkled
hands
broad
huge
long, skinny
fingers
narrow
rough palms
soft
tiny
arms/legs
fat
flabby
long
muscular
skinny

Personality

(a) Adjectives
Aged
agile
ambitious
amusing
athletic
bent
boring
boyish
brave
broad-shouldered
caring
chubby
clumsy
cruel
delicate
dependable
Dull
elderly
fair
fearful
feeble frail
firm
friendly
generous
gentle
girlish
graceful
hardworking
helpful
hunched
ill-mannered
irresponsible
jovial
kind
lazy
lean
muscular
Nosey
overweight
patient
playful
plump
polite
powerful
quiet
rude
selfish
skinny
slim
slender
shapely
snobbish
sociable
stingy
timid
trustworthy
understanding
unfriendly
young
youthful
well-built
weak

Movement 

Choosing apt verbs for actions

To replace “said”
Loudly/Angry
Fierce
bellowed
growled
grumbled
ranted
raved
roared
screamed
screeched
snapped
snarled
thundered
yelled
Slowly
drawled
Happy
chattered
chirped
Amused
chortled
giggled
joked
prattled
Scared
croaked
sputtered
stammered
stuttered
Boastful
bragged
crowed
Softly
mouthed
mumbled
murmured
whispered
Pleading
begged
beseeched
pleaded
whined
In haste/Too
excited
babbled
blurted
exclaimed
gushed
jabbered
sputtered
Repetition
echoed
mimicked
repeated
Insulting
jeered
sneered
sniggered
mimicked

To replace “walked” or “ran”
In haste/
Too excited
barged
burst
charged
dashed
dived
flew
hurried
jumped
leapt
rushed
scrambled
shot
skidded
Slow
crawled
inched
Happy/Childish/
Graceful
danced
flitted
floated
glided
hopped
sauntered
skated
skipped
strolled
twirled
waltzed
Boastful
pranced
strutted
swaggered
Sad/Tired/Hurt
crawled
dragged
drooped
hobbled
limped
plodded
shuffled
staggered
tottered
trudged
Fearful/sneaky
crept
edged
prowled
slid
slipped
sneaked
tiptoed
Angry/stern
marched
stamped
stomped
stormed

2 DESCRIBING PLACES AND SCENES

Other than for your descriptive composition, you may also include description of places or scenes in your narrative composition.
When describing places, you must convey to the reader the feeling of actually being at the scene. Ask yourself these questions:

1. What would one see, hear, smell, touch or taste at this scene?
You have to include descriptions involving as many of the five senses as possible. For example, in describing seaside trip, you could include;
Blue sea – sight
Crashing of waves – sound
Fishy smell of seaweed – smell
Salt water in your mouth – taste
Roughness of sand under your feet – touch

2. What emotions would one feel at this time?
(a) Your description will gain depth if you mention your emotional reaction to what you see, hear, smell, touch or taste at this scene.
(b) As mentioned before, you should not just list descriptive details. Choose the details that convey the message of how you feel about the place or the situation. You should have some sort of “theme” in mine.
For example, if you are describing a seaside scene, your theme could be:
The beauty and solitude of the place make me feel at peace
OR
The pollution and crowds spoil the spot and I feel harassed, disappointed and disgusted


      3. What words would you convey my feelings exactly?
A good writer will have a wide vocabulary from which he can select the words that convey the exact nuance of meaning. When you are reading novels or articles, take note of interesting and useful words.
Some Useful Phrases for Describing Scenes
Here are some examples of phrases used for describing scenes. You can use them in your own essays where relevant.
Sea scene
· Sand: soft, silky, coarse, burning, white, golden, shimmering
· Coconut palms: dancing, waving, rustling… as if to welcome us
· The water: blue, green, grey (storm approaching), foam-specked, crystal-clear, 
  shimmering in the sun
· The waves: Gentle waves rushed to the shore; Gigantic waves crashed on the rocks
· Far out in the sea/on the horizon…a fishing boat, a kelong , an ocean liner…
· Couples…walking hand in hand, splashing in the shallows/frolicking on the water’s edge
· A cool/warm/gentle breeze caresses my skin.
· The beach : crowded, deserted, golden, jam-packed, lonely, muddy, polluted, pebbly, 
  sandy, sheltered, unspoilt
Sky
· The sun rose…a ball of fire/in a pool of liquid gold/crimson and gold
· The sky was streaked with red, orange and gold.
· The clouds blushed a shade of deep pink.
· The sky seems ablaze with red and gold.
· Fluffy white clouds drifted across the blue sky.
· Ominous black clouds hung overhead.
· It was a grey afternoon with dull clouds threatening rain.
Rainstorm
· The dark clouds that had been gathering all day gave way to pouring sheets of rain.
· A flash of lighting streaked across the sky, followed by a roll of thunder.
· The distant rumble of thunder…
· The soft patter of raindrops…
· The torrential rain thundered on our zinc roof.
· The rain poured from the heavens.
· Sheets of rain …/A curtain of rain
· The storm raged
· The wind was thrashing in the treetops/howled overhead
· A high wind swept across the plain.
· Late that night, the rain finally abated.
Traffic
· A motorbike/racing car whizzed by/roared past…
· A lorry/An old bus rumbled by… in a cloud of dust/petrol fumes…
· The traffic piled up…
· Long rows/A sea…of cars, motorcycles and lorries…/traffic
· We crawled along the road…/We inched forward, bit by bit…, slow-moving, 
  at a standstill, bumper-to-bumper, honk, roar, screech, overtake, accelerate, park, pass, 
  exhaust fumes…
· Impatient drivers pressed on their horns…cursing…waving their fists
· Red, sweaty faces…
Food
            · Delicious, appetizing, mouth watering, tasty, scrumptious, disgusting, burnt, dry, fatty, 
              oily, Filling, fresh, healthy, nourishing, piping hot, sizzling, steaming, well-cooked, 
              chewy, creamy, Crisp, crunchy, lumpy, mushy, soggy, smooth, spongy, squashy, tender, 
              tough, bitter, plain, salty, sour, spicy, sugary, sweet, syrupy, sticky

adventure
· Amazing, action-packed, dangerous, exciting, fascinating, scary, strange, terrifying, 
  thrilling, incredible.
Scenery
· Breathtaking, glorious, incredible, magnificent, marvelous, spectacular, wonderful
Weather
· Sunny, delightful, fair, misty, stormy, rainy, damp, fabulous, glorious, gorgeous, blazing, 
  scorching, magnificent, marvelous, superb, wonderful

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Collection of SPM English Language Question Papers

2005
Terengganu Trial [Paper 1]

2007
Johor Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], Terengganu Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], Pahang Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2] [Answers], Melaka Trial 2007 [Paper 1] [Paper 2], TIMES [Paper 1] [Paper 2] SPB [Paper 1] [Paper 2]

2008

Terengganu Mid Year [Paper 1] [Paper 2],
Trial
MRSM Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], SBP Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], Kelantan Trial [Paper 1 & 2], Terengganu Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], Kedah Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], Pahang Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], Johor Trial [Paper 1 & 2], Perlis Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], Sabah Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2], Sarawak Trial [Paper 1 & 2], Melaka Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2]

2009

Terengganu TOV [Paper 1] [Paper 2] Terengganu Mid Year [Paper 1] [Paper 2]
Melaka Trial , Johor Trial , Sabah Trial , Kedah Trial , Perlis Trial , Times , SBP , Pahang Trial [Paper 1] [Paper 2]