⏱ 5 Minutes · A2/B1
📖 From Experience
I have called four places home: Chittagong, Sydney, Plessis-Trévise near Paris, and Réunion. Each one needed its own vocabulary. Réunion is not just ‘nice’ — it is lush, volcanic, remote, tropical, and for me, something between adopted home and island exile. Words carry what photos can’t.
📚 Useful Adjectives for Places
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| Size/density | vast, compact, sprawling, cramped, spacious |
| Atmosphere | vibrant, tranquil, bustling, sleepy, chaotic |
| Geography | coastal, mountainous, volcanic, landlocked, tropical |
| Character | multicultural, historic, industrial, touristy, authentic |
| Feeling | welcoming, isolating, familiar, foreign, overwhelming |
✅ Examples
- Sydney is a sprawling, vibrant, coastal city — never quiet, always moving.
- The village I grew up in was cramped and familiar, every face known.
- Réunion feels remote and volcanic — the kind of island that takes getting used to.
✏️ Your Turn
Write 2–3 sentences describing a place you know using adjectives above:
- Think of a city or town you know. Use at least 3 adjectives from the list.
- Add a sentence about how the place made you feel.
💡 Check Answers
- Model answer: ‘Paris is a compact, historic, bustling city. It is beautiful but can feel overwhelming when you first arrive as an immigrant with no French.’
- Feeling sentence: ‘At first it felt foreign; gradually it became familiar.’
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