To speak English, we must be able to say how we feel.
Tests of competency in the English language ask students to write essays giving personal opinions. To pass these essay questions, you will need to be aware of the feelings that determine your personal point of view.
"I feel sick" is not a feeling. It is a sensation. Sensations come from specific body parts, usually from a certain organ, like the feet or the skin. "My feet are hot" is a sensation. “My shoulder hurts" is a sensation."I have a headache" is a sensation.
Feelings are also felt in the body but reflect your inner life.
Vocabulary List
This list is to be used as a reference or resource. Please do not try to memorize it overnight!
abandoned absurd abused accommodating accountable active agitated agreeable alarmed alone aloof amused angry anxious appeased apprehensive arrogant ashamed attracted bashful benevolent betrayed bewildered bitter blessed blissful blue bold bored brisk calm capable cautious chaotic charitable chastised cheerful closed competent complete compliant composed confident confined congenial contaminated content controlled cordial cowardly cranky cross defeated degraded dejected delighted depressed despised destitute determined dignified disappointed discarded discontented disgraced dishonored disillusioned disinterested dissatisfied distant disturbed docile dominated dominating “down in the dumps” drained dull dangerous ecstatic elated embarrassed empathetic encouraged encouraging energetic enthusiastic exasperated excited exhausted extravagant fatigued fearful feeble flustered foolish forlorn forsaken fortunate free fulfilled futile generous gentle glad gloomy gluttonous grateful gratified grief-stricken grouchy guilty hampered happy harassed healthy heavy-hearted helpful helpless hindered holy honorable honored hopeless humiliated ignorant ignored imprisoned inadequate infatuated influenced infuriated inhibited inhospitable inspired interested intuitive invigorated involved irritated isolated jittery jolly joyful jumbled jumpy limited limp lively livid lonely loyal lucky malicious melancholy merry mild miserable miserly misunderstood modest moody mortified motivated neglected nervous noticed oppressed overreacting overwhelmed overworked paranoid passionate peaceful perplexed persecuted petty placid plagued pleasant pleased poised powerful private provoked qualified rage regretful relaxed relieved remote resentful rested restless restored revengeful ridiculous robust rough sad satisfied scared scorned secretive selfish sensitive sentimental shamed sheltered shocked simple sluggish solemn sparkling stimulated stingy strained stricken strong stupid successful suicidal sulky sullen surprised sympathetic teary-eyed tempted terrified thrilled thwarted timid tired tormented tranquil trapped triumphant troubled unclean uninterested unnerved unwelcome useless vague vain vigorous virile vital vivacious wanted wasteful weak weary weepy whole wicked withdrawn worried
Question for Discussion:
(1) Have you ever been unclear about specific words for feelings in English? Let’s discuss them now.
Homework:
Whenever you identify a feeling that is not on this list, add it to the list. This list can become your master list of the words for feelings in English.
Copyright © 2011 Barbara A. English All rights reserved.
