Describing experiences
Describe experiences vividly: set the scene, use strong adjectives and modifiers, and say how you felt and what you learned.
In this lesson you will
- Use extreme adjectives with absolutely/really
- Structure a description of an experience
- Reflect on what an experience taught you
Learn
Gradable adjectives (good, cold, tired) go with very, quite, a bit, extremely. Extreme adjectives (amazing, freezing, exhausted, terrifying, delicious) go with absolutely or really, not very: It was absolutely freezing.
Structure: what and when (present perfect / past simple) → the scene (past continuous, was/were) → what happened → how you felt → what you learned (It taught me that… Looking back, …).
Useful: I’ll never forget… It was one of the best experiences of my life. It was a real eye-opener. I’d definitely do it again.
Senses make descriptions vivid: I could hear…, the smell of…, it looked like…
| Gradable (very…) | Extreme (absolutely…) |
|---|---|
| good | fantastic, amazing |
| bad | awful, terrible |
| cold | freezing |
| tired | exhausted |
| big | huge, enormous |
| scary | terrifying |
Examples
- The view from the top was absolutely breathtaking.
- I was really exhausted after the climb.
- I’ll never forget the smell of fresh bread in the market.
- Looking back, it taught me to be more patient.
Vocabulary
breathtaking
extremely beautiful
exhausted
extremely tired
eye-opener
an experience that teaches you something surprising
unforgettable
impossible to forget
vivid
clear and detailed
Practice
It was ___ freezing!
Speaking
Describe an unforgettable experience in 90 seconds: scene, events, feelings and what it taught you. Use at least three extreme adjectives.
Writing
Write a blog post (120–150 words): “An experience that changed me”.
- ☐ Set the scene
- ☐ Clear order of events
- ☐ Extreme adjectives + modifiers
- ☐ What you learned
Lesson quiz
Which is correct?
Review
Key points
- very + gradable; absolutely/really + extreme.
- Scene → events → feelings → lesson.
- Senses and reflection make it vivid.
What you learned
- ✓ I can describe experiences vividly.
- ✓ I can use extreme adjectives correctly.
- ✓ I can reflect on experiences.
Grammar reference: Adjectives: position and order, Present perfect