Big and small are the first words everyone learns, and the first ones that run out. Huge, tiny, plain, messy, spotless — these are the words that let someone picture the thing you're talking about.
1. The New Flat
Tess: So? What's it like?
Omar: The living room's huge. Twice the old one.
Tess: And the rent?
Omar: The same, believe it or not.
Tess: Then take it.
Omar: I already signed.
2. Too Small to Read
Gita: What does the label say?
Ben: No idea. The print's tiny.
Gita: Use your phone camera. Zoom in.
Ben: Right. Wash at thirty.
Gita: Good. I nearly boiled it.
3. Carrying It Upstairs
Luka: Take one end. Ready?
Mira: It's heavy. What's in it?
Luka: Books, mostly.
Mira: Of course. Books are always heavy.
Luka: Two more steps. Nearly there.
Mira: Down. Down now.
4. Nothing Fancy
Ade: Which shirt for tomorrow?
Ruth: The plain white one.
Ade: Not the striped one?
Ruth: It's an interview. Keep it plain.
Ade: Fair point.
Ruth: Plain always looks smart.
5. Before the Guests Come
Hana: They'll be here at seven.
Sven: The kitchen's messy.
Hana: Messy I can live with. Do the bathroom.
Sven: Deal.
Hana: And hide the washing.
6. After the Cleaner
Nadia: Look at the floor.
Ilya: Spotless. You can see your face in it.
Nadia: Nobody walks on it today.
Ilya: It'll last an hour.
Nadia: Let me enjoy the hour.
Ilya: Enjoy it.
7. Careful With That Knife
Pim: This knife is really sharp.
Cole: I sharpened it on Sunday.
Pim: You could shave with it.
Cole: Keep your fingers back.
Pim: I'm keeping them back.
8. A Good Road
Dana: How was the drive?
Erik: Smooth the whole way. New tarmac.
Dana: No roadworks?
Erik: None. Three hours, door to door.
Dana: That's a record.
Erik: Don't expect it twice.
Words to know
| huge | extremely big The living room's huge. Twice the old one. |
| tiny | extremely small No idea. The print's tiny. |
| heavy | weighing a lot; hard to lift It's heavy. What's in it? |
| plain | simple, with no pattern or decoration The plain white one. |
| messy | untidy; not in order The kitchen's messy. |
| spotless | perfectly clean Spotless. You can see your face in it. |
| sharp | with an edge that cuts easily This knife is really sharp. |
| smooth | flat and even, with no bumps Smooth the whole way. New tarmac. |
Quick practice
Complete each sentence with an expression from the lessons.
1. A: So? What's it like?
B: The living room's ________. Twice the old one.
2. A: What does the label say?
B: No idea. The print's ________.
3. A: Take one end. Ready?
B: It's ________. What's in it?
4. A: Which shirt for tomorrow?
B: The ________ white one.
5. A: Look at the floor.
B: ________. You can see your face in it.
6. A: How was the drive?
B: ________ the whole way. New tarmac.
Show the answers
1. huge 2. tiny 3. heavy 4. plain 5. Spotless 6. Smooth
Common mistakes
Not: The living room is very huge.
Say: The living room is huge.
Huge already means very big. Words like huge, tiny and spotless take no very.
Not: This box is too much heavy.
Say: This box is too heavy.
Before an adjective, use too alone. Too much goes with a noun: too much noise.
Not: Your kitchen is more big than mine.
Say: Your kitchen is bigger than mine.
Short adjectives add -er. Keep more for long ones: more expensive.
Your turn
Look around the room you're in right now. Say these five things aloud, using the words from this lesson.
- Name the biggest thing you can see and the smallest, using huge and tiny.
- Say which room in your home is messy today, and which is spotless.
- Describe the heaviest thing you lifted this week.
- Say whether you prefer plain clothes or patterned ones, and why.
- Describe your journey to work today in one sentence, using smooth.
Quick review
Take one object near you and describe it in three words instead of one. Not a big bag but a huge, heavy, plain black bag. Three words is the difference between a beginner and someone people enjoy listening to. Do it with five objects tonight.