Descriptive Words, Synonyms, and Nuance

Below is a list of common verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.  For each common ‘base word’, a list of synonyms and related words follows.  To help English learners, practice their understanding of nuance differences between related words, they can use the prompts below.

Appropriate Word Multiple Choice

Based on word groups at:
https://englishwithjeff.com/descriptive-words-synonyms-and-nuance/ I would like to practice choosing words with the most appropriate nuance. Please provide a fill-in-the-blank sentence along with a multiple-choice list of four words that are all related to the same base word. Include a brief scenario (in English and Korean) that will help me decide which word fits the context best. After I guess, provide an explanation (in English and Korean) and then give me another fill-in-the-blank challenge.

Which Sentence Uses a Word Correctly?

Based on word groups at: https://englishwithjeff.com/descriptive-words-synonyms-and-nuance/ I would like to practice using words with the most appropriate nuance. Please provide two sentences using one of the descriptive words. One sentence should use it correctly and one not. Make that word bold. If necessary, include a brief scenario (in English and Korean) that will help me understand the context. Ask me which sentence uses the word most appropriately. I will guess. Let me know if I am correct and provide an explanation (in English and Korean) or why or why not.  Then give me another pair of sentences

If linking to this document does not work, you can copy and paste some or all of the word groups below or upload this pdf.
If you are not given another sentence after completing one, you can type ‘again’.
This has worked best with Perplexity, Copilot, and ChatGPT.


Word Groups
Verbs   Adjectives   Adverbs

VERBS

Base word: Say

  • call
  • cry
  • respond
  • demand
  • ask
  • state
  • shout
  • whisper
  • remark
  • question
  • reply
  • exclaim
Base word: See

  • glimpse
  • notice
  • observe
  • sight
  • spot
  • stare at
  • glance at
  • eye
  • gaze at
  • spy
  • examine
  • watch
Base word: Run

  • hurry
  • race
  • scurry
  • dash
  • gallop
  • trot
  • bolt
  • dart
  • speed
  • jog
  • sprint
  • rush
Base word: Walk

  • stagger
  • trudge
  • strut
  • march
  • hike
  • shuffle
  • saunter
  • lumber
  • plod
  • amble
  • stroll
Base Word: like:

  • admire
  • appreciate
  • fancy
  • adore
  • idolize
  • prefer
  • cherish
  • care for
  • favor
  • enjoy
  • treasure
Base word: Look

  • watch
  • glance
  • gaze
  • stare
  • peer
  • glimpse
  • glare
  • observe
  • peep
  • examine
  • gape
Base word: Eat

  • devour
  • nibble
  • munch
  • gobble
  • feast
  • snack
  • savor
Base word: Sit

  • slump
  • perch
  • lounge
  • sprawl
  • settle
  • squat
  • nestle
Base word: Cry

  • sob
  • weep
  • bawl
  • tear up
  • wail
  • sniffle
  • blubber
Base word: Smile

  • grin
  • beam
  • smirk
  • chuckle
  • sneer
  • simper
  • grin
Base word: Hold

  • grasp
  • clutch
  • cradle
  • grip
  • seize
  • clasp
  • embrace
Base word: Hit

  • slap
  • punch
  • smack
  • strike
  • hammer
  • pound
  • swat
Base word: Move

  • shift
  • budge
  • edge
  • sway
  • shuffle
  • twist
  • stir
Base word: Break

  • shatter
  • crack
  • fracture
  • smash
  • snap
  • splinter
  • crush
Base word: Laugh

  • snicker
  • giggle
  • roar
  • chuckle
  • guffaw
  • cackle
  • howl

ADJECTIVES

Base Word: good:

 

  • great
  • pleasant
  • marvelous
  • delightful
  • superior
  • wonderful
  • splendid
  • superb
  • grand
  • terrific
  • amazing
  • excellent
Base Word: sad:

  • downcast
  • depressed
  • woeful
  • gloomy
  • miserable
  • sorrowful
  • unhappy
  • dejected
  • forlorn
  • melancholy
  • crestfallen
  • mournful
Base Word: pretty:

 

  • beautiful
  • lovely
  • glamorous
  • attractive
  • elegant
  • cute
  • exquisite
  • gorgeous
  • stunning
  • handsome
  • striking
  • fair
Base Word: little:

 

  • teeny
  • diminutive
  • compact
  • microscopic
  • petite
  • wee
  • small
  • tiny
  • minuscule
  • miniature
  • slight
  • minute
Base Word: big:

 

  • towering
  • huge
  • large
  • great
  • gigantic
  • mammoth
  • enormous
  • tremendous
  • massive
  • giant
  • colossal
  • immense
Base Word: funny:

 

  • farcical
  • jocular
  • amusing
  • humorous
  • witty
  • comical
  • hysterical
  • sidesplitting
  • hilarious
  • laughable
  • silly
  • nonsensical

Base Word: nice:

  • kind
  • benevolent
  • thoughtful
  • gracious
  • considerate
  • decent
  • congenial
  • agreeable
  • courteous
  • warm
  • cordial
  • humane
Base Word: happy:

 

  • glad
  • jovial
  • jubilant
  • joyful
  • thrilled
  • cheerful
  • merry
  • contented
  • pleased
  • delighted
  • jolly
  • elated
Base Word: smart
:

  • witty
  • bright
  • quick-witted
  • knowledgeable
  • intelligent
  • clever
  • ingenious
  • sharp
  • brainy
  • brilliant
  • gifted
  • wise

Base word: Bad

  • terrible
  • awful
  • dreadful
  • horrendous
  • poor
  • subpar
  • unpleasant

Base word: Certain

  • sure
  • confident
  • convinced
  • positive
  • definite
  • assured
  • unquestionable

Base word: Difficult

  • hard
  • challenging
  • tough
  • demanding
  • strenuous
  • arduous
  • complex

Base word: Easy

  • simple
  • effortless
  • straightforward
  • manageable
  • uncomplicated
  • painless
  • smooth

Base word: Friendly

  • kind
  • warm
  • welcoming
  • approachable
  • sociable
  • affable
  • amiable

Base word: Important

  • crucial
  • essential
  • vital
  • significant
  • key
  • necessary
  • imperative

Base word: New

  • fresh
  • recent
  • modern
  • novel
  • updated
  • current
  • innovative

Base word: Old

  • ancient
  • aged
  • elderly
  • mature
  • timeworn
  • antiquated
  • vintage

Base word: Special

  • unique
  • exceptional
  • rare
  • extraordinary
  • distinctive
  • remarkable
  • notable

Base word: Strong

  • powerful
  • sturdy
  • resilient
  • robust
  • tough
  • forceful
  • solid

Base word: Young

  • youthful
  • juvenile
  • fresh
  • new
  • immature
  • inexperienced
  • adolescent

Base word: Different

  • distinct
  • unique
  • diverse
  • varied
  • contrasting
  • unconventional
  • unusual

ADVERBS

Base word: Quickly

  • rapidly
  • swiftly
  • briskly
  • promptly
  • hastily
  • speedily
  • expeditiously

Base word: Slowly

  • gradually
  • sluggishly
  • leisurely
  • steadily
  • unhurriedly
  • lazily
  • ploddingly

Base word: Happily

  • joyfully
  • cheerfully
  • merrily
  • gleefully
  • contentedly
  • delightedly
  • jubilantly

Base word: Quietly

  • softly
  • silently
  • gently
  • peacefully
  • noiselessly
  • subtly
  • hushedly

Base word: Angrily

  • furiously
  • heatedly
  • bitterly
  • irately
  • fiercely
  • indignantly
  • wrathfully

Base word: Easily

  • effortlessly
  • smoothly
  • readily
  • painlessly
  • naturally
  • conveniently
  • comfortably

Base word: Carefully

  • cautiously
  • meticulously
  • attentively
  • precisely
  • deliberately
  • vigilantly
  • prudently

Base word: Badly

  • poorly
  • inadequately
  • dreadfully
  • terribly
  • inefficiently
  • faultily
  • ineptly

Base word: Loudly

  • boisterously
  • deafeningly
  • thunderously
  • raucously
  • blaringly
  • resoundingly
  • noisily

Base word: Suddenly

  • abruptly
  • unexpectedly
  • instantly
  • immediately
  • out of the blue
  • all at once
  • in a flash

 

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