This document provides a comprehensive collection of descriptive phrases to depict various emotions such as anger, sadness, happiness, fear, and excitement, alongside weather conditions and scenarios involving fire and accidents. It offers guidance on using vivid language and sensory details for composition writing, categorizing phrases based on what can be seen, felt internally, and actions taken. Additionally, it includes tips for creating engaging narratives through dialogue and dynamic descriptions.

1. Phrases for compositions
ANGER
He turned red with fury.
His blood boiled.
An angry frown creased his forehead.
He was like a bull in a china shop.
Seething with anger, Ali approached John menacingly.
His eyes flashed with anger and resentment.
He turned red with fury.
He stamped his foot in anger.
He gritted his teeth in anger.
He was too angry for words.
HAPPINESS
He was saturated with happiness.
He was as happy as a lark.
He was grinning from ear to ear.
He was on cloud nine.
He was like a dog with two tails
EXCITEMENT
He was quivering all over with excitement.
His eyes widened with excitement.
His pulses raced with excitement.
TIREDNESS
He was dog-tired and kept yawning.
His eyes were red from the lack of sleep.
SADNESS
Tears welled up in his eyes and began rolling down his cheeks like rivulets.
No one could express his agony.
She was on the brink of tears.
He felt the whole world collapsing upon him.
Dark clouds seemed to constantly loom over his head.
He sobbed sorrowfully.
FEAR
Paralyzed with fear, he could not command his legs to run.
The shock robbed him of speech.
A chill ran down his spine.
His hair stood on ends
He stood rooted to the ground.
Frightening thoughts race through her mind.
He was at loss for words.

2. His face turned pale and his skin felt cold and clammy.
PAIN
His forehead was beaded with perspiration;
His eyebrows were deeply knitted and his mouth slightly ajar in his agony.
SHOCK/SURPRISE
They stared at him in blank amazement.
The shock robbed him of speech.
2.1 GOOD / BEAUTIFUL WEATHER
1. The sun shone brilliantly and the water in the pond glittered invitingly.
2. The sun filtered through the clouds, signalling the end of the rain.
3. A golden glow spread across the sky as the sun chased the dark clouds away.
4. The whole landscape was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun.
5. Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze in the warm tropical sunshine.
6. Fresh air filled my lungs and I felt refreshed and exhilarated.
7. The breathtaking scenery captivated everyone.
8. The pond was bathed in a golden hue by the gentle sunlight and the water was as clear as crystal.
9. The sunlit clouds drifted across a clear blue sky.
10. The sun rose in a pool of crimson and gold, spilling light all over the land and the white clouds.
11. As the sun set, the few thin strips of clouds on the horizon turned shimmering gold.
1. It as a lovely walk, with the sun setting behind the mountain in a sea of liquid gold.
2. The sunset was glorious, all rosy and salmon pink.
3. The sky was filled with crimson and amber-tinted clouds.
4. It dawned bright and sunny, with a sky that was a deep blue, flecked with tiny white clouds.
5. The sun put its warm fingers into his tent opening and he felt the warmth on his sleeping bag.
2.2 BAD WEATHER
1. The sky above was full of tumultuous, dark and ragged clouds.
2. It was a cold grey afternoon with a dull sky and threatening rain.
3. Ominous black clouds covered the sky and released a sudden shower.
4. Thunder rolled in from the west and rain began to fall.
5. The dark clouds grew ominous.
6. Lightning and thunder raged with fury.
7. The morning was cold and wet with a brisk wind sweeping the rain across the land.
8. A flash of forked lightning and a great clap of thunder came close upon each other.
9. Thunder roared and lightning flashed across the sky.
10. The howling of the wind frightened us all.
11. The wind was howling and soon there was a heavy downpour.
2.2 BAD WEATHER
12. A curtain of rain beat down from the heavens.
13. Rain pelted down from skies.
14. The sky was most threatening. In no time, it was raining cats and dogs.
15. As I had neither a raincoat nor an umbrella, I was soon drenched to the skin.
16. The sky turned into a hideous grey as lightning struck and thunder rumbled.

3. 17. It was raining cats and dogs.
18. He was soaked to the skin when he came back from the heavy downpour.
3. Fire
1. The car burst into flames after colliding with a stationary lorry.
2. Within seconds, the room was engulfed in flames.
3. A minute later, a loud explosion rocked the building.
4. Screaming in pain, the occupants of the burning house came staggering out into the streets.
5. Screams and loud cries pierced the air.
6. Flames swept over them.
7. Everybody was fleeing frantically.
8. Panic-stricken occupants rushed out of the burning houses.
9. Horrible screams filled the air.
10. Cloaked in a wet blanket, I crouched as low as I could to avoid the toxic smoke.
11. The scene was chaotic.
12. The wail of the fire engine siren could be heard.
13. There was not a moment to lose. The firemen started putting out the fire as soon as they arrived.
14. Smoke and sparks were whirling in all directions.
15. Thick smoke filled the air, shrouding the surroundings in total darkness.
16. Columns of smoke were seen streaming out of the burning building.
17. Many corpses were charred beyond recognition.
18. I looked up and saw the whole sky blazing red because of the fire.
19. As the house burned, tongues of flames leapt into the dark sky.
20. It took the firemen two hours to put the fire completely under control.
4Accident
1. Puddles of water were everywhere, making the road slippery and dangerous.
2. The car was going at full speed.
3. The short-lived laughter turned into screams of horror when they saw a car coming straight at
them.
4. The car was speeding down the road.
5. The reckless driver swerved from left to right, overtaking many vehicles.
6. He did not abide by the traffic rules.
7. The boy dashed across the road.
8. The driver tried to swerve to the right but he was too late.
9. I heard the screeching of the brakes.
10. The two cars collided with a deafening crash.
11. With a deafening crash, the car slammed into a tree.
12. The car skidded and crashed through the railings.
13. The car was a total wreck.
14. The pedestrian was knocked down and became unconscious.
15. The victim lay in a pool of blood, groaning in pain.
16. The driver was bleeding profusely.
17. Patches of blood were splattered on the ground.
18. The front seat was splattered with blood.
19. The passengers were severely injured.
20. The victim was mutilated beyond recognition.
21. The wreckage burst into flames.
22. The traffic slowed down and motorists craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the accident.
23. There was a traffic jam. The vehicles were moving along bumper to bumper.
24. Some people simply stood there and shook their heads in disbelief.
25. An ambulance was summoned.

4. 26. The accident victim was bleeding profusely.
27. In order to avoid a collision with an oncoming lorry, Father quickly swerved his car to the right.
The old wagon ran a little way and crashed into the buffers of another. It made a terrific noise in the
P5/P6 Helping Phrases
I was walking home from school when a large, black suitcase caught my eye..
First Paragraph
 Sun beat down on me mercilessly
 Desperate for a cool shower and some lunch
 Took the shortcut through the deserted, shady park
 Something caught my eye
 Curiosity got the better of me
 Looked around but there was not a soul in sight
 I bent over and reached towards the suitcase when I felt someone grab me from behind and
shoved me in some bushes
Second paragraph
 When I recovered from the shock, I looked around me
 Several muscular men with stern faces
 Was sure that I was being kidnapped and was about to flee for my life when
 CID badge, explained to me that they were on a sting operation
 The suitcase contained drugs
 Lying in wait, to ambush the drug smuggling ring
 My heart started to beat wildly in fear and excitement
Third Paragraph
 A few minutes later, a group of men walked casually up to the suitcase
 Unkempt, tattoos all over their bodies
 Looked terrifying
 A few of them had large parangs with them
 I froze in fear
 The leader of the gang picked up the suitcase
 The detectives leapt out of the bushes, rushed forward, shouting at them to stop and drop their
weapons
 Gangsters were not about to give up the fight
 Brandished their weapons and a fierce struggle took place
 Detectives overpowered them and handcuffed the men
 Emerged from my hiding place, legs trembling
 One of the detectives warned me not to tell many people about what had happened

5. Last Paragraph
 That night I could not sleep
 Learnt a valuable lesson
 Crime does not pay
 Mind my own business next time
Some phrases that can use in creative writing to describe HAPPY:
1) She laughed heartily.
2) He burst into fits of laughter.
3) He was all smiles when he saw his PSLE results.
4) They were saturated with happiness.
5) The winner jumped for joy.
6) His bother laughed till his sides hurt.
1. His eyes grew large and pensive as he recalled the recent events.
2. Tears welled up in her eyes.
3. The old man paused, his eyes clouded with distant memories.
4. Mr. Chim’s eyes bored into me as if they were trying to read my innermost thoughts.
5. There was a flash of anger in his bulging eyes.
6. Mrs. Vishma’s dark eyes were cold and unblinking as she listened to the boys’ excuses.
7. His cheeks flushed crimson while his eyes narrowed into menacing slits.
8. His eyes held a look of murderous hatred.
9. The pupils sat with their heads bent and their brows furrowed in concentration.
10. Her forehead creased and her eyes narrowed as she tried to remember where she had left her
purse.
11. He drew his eyebrows together with such intensity that I half-expected his thoughts to shoot right
out of his forehead.

6. 12. She squeezed her eyes shut when the doctor plunged the needle into her arm.
13. The nurse mopped his fevered brow.
14. Her eyes fluttered open and looked around in a daze.
15. I shook her by the shoulders but her eyes rolled back in their sockets until only the whites showed.
Then with a final, ragged gasp, she fainted clean away.
16. She fought hard to stay awake but her heavy eyelids drooped and flickered.
17. He yawned sleepily and rubbed his red-rimmed eyes.
18. Detecting a whiff of smoke, he snapped open his eyes in panic and sat bolt upright in bed.
19. His eyes strained to pierce the smoke.
20. Her smile grew and swelled, deepening the lines at the edge of her eyes.
21. Throwing back his head, he erupted into a fit of laughter that made his eyes disappear in deep
wrinkles.
22. Her eyes danced with mischievous mirth.
23. The pupil burst into the room, arms flailing above his head and eyes burning with excitement.
24. A small, nervous tic appeared over his left eye.
25. Everyone greeted the news with shock but Fiona did not bat an eyelid.
26. A look of surprise flickered in her eyes.
27. My father blinked at the bill in shock, his bushy eyebrows waggling comically.
28. She raised her eyes heavenward and exclaimed dramatically, “It’s a miracle!”
Upon hearing that the penguins are visiting, a wave of jubilance swept through Polar. A
big smile spread across his face as he thought about the fun that they were going to
have. Unable to contain his happiness, he began doing a little celebratory dance. (Source
of picture: thisisthecoolestplace)

7. A quick tip for helping your child to have a balanced approach in describing emotions is
this:
Divide the descriptive phrases of feelings and emotions into 3 categories
1. Outside (what you can see) e.g. Upon hearing what happened, his face turned an
ominous red.
2. Inside (what you cannot see inside of the character) e.g. He was boiling with rage.
3. Action (what the character does because of the emotion) e.g. His hands were shaking
uncontrollably. OR In a fit of anger, he punched the wall.
Useful words/phrases/expressions in composition writing
Use words that appeal to the senses
a. The leaves rustled in the trees and the trees swayed slightly, making groaning heavy sounds. The
twigs crackled, snapped and sputtered.
b. The bells pealed through the clatter and the children shuffled back to class.
Use dialogues
a. “Nag, nag, nag! That’s what I hear all day!” he grumbled.
b. “What do you expect?” cried his wife angrily. “Four mouths to feed, and another on the way, and all you
do is idle about all day with your friends!”
c. “Guess what!” I cried triumphantly, holding up the letter. “I’ve won it!”
“Won what?” asked my mother.
“The scholarship!” I shrieked in my excitement.
d. “Who do you think you are?” he sneered, looking me up and down.
e. “My daughter, my beautiful daughter,” I murmured bitterly, my lips quavering, as tears welled up in my
eyes.
Write interesting descriptions of people
Appearance – draw attention to certain vivid features
i. When he laughed, he revealed a set of horribly discoloured teeth.

8. ii. Everybody stared at her. She had beautiful dark hair piled high on her head, a delicately shaped face,
large soft eyes and the most dazzling smile I had ever seen.
Personality or character
i. For years she had lived with her aunt, a bad-tempered, acid-tongued woman who made her life
miserable.
Write vivid descriptions of feelings
a. He sat by the hospital bed, holding her hand. It was clear that the end was near. Tears welled up in his
eyes and silently coursed down his cheeks.
“Please forgive me,” he said, choking with grief.
b. She ran breathlessly to him with the good news. As soon as he heard it, he leapt into the air with a
whoop of joy.
“Wonderful! Marvelous! Unbelievable!” he kept shouting.
Then he turned to her and swept her up in his arms.
Lively style
Begin each sentence differently from the previous one.
i. I opened the door and walked straight into the room. There was Pei Yan sitting by the chair, waiting for
me. Quickly rising from her chair, she came towards me.
Use rhetoric question (questions that do not require an answer)
i. She thought of the unlucky happenings that had just befallen her – her failure in the examinations, her
mother’s illness, and her father losing his job. How could anyone be so unfortunate?
Use words that are highly descriptive, vivid and forceful
i. The place was eerily quiet. All around us was a deathly silence. Suddenly it was broken by a mournful
cry. It did not even sound human. We looked at each other, terror-stricken, then made a dash for the
door.
Use effective adjectives
i. The forbidden words : good, bad, happy, sad, nice
ii. Nice book: thrilling book
iii. Good speech: witty speech
iv. Selfish: egoistic/self-centred

9. Substitute over-used adverbs
i. Very: extremely, astonishingly, shockingly
Good expressions for describing sadness
1) Tears trickled down my face.
2) His face was grave, abstracted, almost could have fancied sad.
3) My heart was in my mouth, and the dread I felt was palpable.
4) He was disconsolate and without hope because of the loss of his mother.
5) “will you miss me?” I asked with a tinge of sadness.
6) He sauntered into the class gloomily.
7) Her eyes were puffy with a trace of wetness around the lids.
8) Jane blinked back tears that threatened to overcome her.
9) The great pain and sorrow totally shattered her.
10) The sorrow seemed to diminish everyone physically.
11) She committed suicide during a fit of depression.
12) The news cast a gloom over the entire family.
13) He was overcome by melancholy when his mate died. He has been moping about the around the
house ever since.
14) He was in low spirits because he was accused of cheating.
15) She composed herself and wiped the tears away.
16) Her throat was too raw with pain for her to speak.
17) He waited forlornly outside the house, despite the pouring rain.
18) Nothing we did could lift him out of his state of deep gloom.
19) When he left, she sank into melancholy.
20) “He’s left me,” she revealed in a small, stricken voice.
21) He was extremely distressed by the bad news.

10. 22) My heart sank. A sudden loss came over me.
23) Her lips moved desolately in prayer, imploring the gods to have mercy on her.
24) He sat there in mute misery, his face in his hands.
25) When he left, she sank into melancholy
26) She buried her face in her hands and sobbed quietly, unable to hold in the great tide of emotions.
27) Her emotions hit her like a bullet through her chest.
28) I was homesick and dismayed by the dismal weather in London.
29) Her eyes turned watery and red as the hurtful moments were brought back to mind again.
30) Tears streamed down her face as she walked out of the coffee club with her hand still clutching on to
the pendant.
31) Sue broke into tears.
32) A dark mood came over Jane.
33) She was on the verge of tears.
34) Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.
35) No words could express his agony.
36) Tears welled up in Nancy’s eyes.
37) The poor child sobbed sorrowfully.
38) With a heavy heart, he left the hospital.
39) My heart sank when I heard the sad news.
40) Her eyes were puffy and red after all the crying.
41) She cried her heart out on hearing the tragic news.
42) The frightened child was on the brink of tears.
43) They were sobbing their hearts out when they heard of their father’s sudden death.
44) Mrs Lee was so overcome with grief that she fainted a few times at her husband’s funeral
45) My heart sank when my teacher told me that I had failed the examination.
46) The little girl burst into tears when she could not find her mother.

11. 47) The little girl was close to tears when her mother left her in the care of the new maid.
48) She was so upset that she could not stop her tears from streaming down her cheeks.
49) A tingle of sorrow swept over me.
50) Her heart was shattered after hearing the devastating news.
51) With tears in my eyes, a quaver in my throat, tears streamed down my cheeks onto the ground.
52) Grief, remorse and depression covered me like a thick choking blanket.
53) Tears of sorrow rolled down my cheeks when I heard the heart-breaking news.
54) He howled dismally when his dog died
55) After being wrongly accused by his best friend, he felt down in the dumps.
56) Kevin felt utterly miserable when Julia called off the wedding.
57) His heart overflowed with sadness when he lost the race.
58) Feeling blue, he went for a holiday to forget all his sorrow.
59) She felt very wretched after being slapped and locked up by her husband.
60) He told his cousins all his woes when they visited him.
61) He was so sad that he tried to drown his sorrows by going out to drink.
62) With tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks, Janice knelt down in front of her parents’ grave
and cried out, “ I’ve been such an unfilial daughter!”
63) My father felt demoralised because he failed his driving test again.
64) The widow laments grievously at the death of her husband.
Good expressions for describing anger
1) He muttered furiously under his breath.
2) Her eyes glared at him in ruthless impersonality.
3) His resentment blinded his logic.
4) He was outraged.
5) He was infuriated with his son for not telling the truth.
6) She blew her top when she could not get her way.

12. 7) There was fury in his eyes.
8) The little boy put a lot of anger into the blow, knocking the bully over.
9) She seethed with indignation.
10) A wave of rage swept over him.
11) It caused an enormous furore.
12) He was livid when he realized that his car was scratched.
13) He did his best to mask his anger but…
14) She was so angry that she hurled curses at her rival.
15) His anger was formidable.
16) One could see a flicker of anger that crossed her face.
17) She flounced out of the room when her boss ridiculed her ideas.
18) She was just too upset to even bother about how others thought about her. Unanswered questions
burned endlessly in her brain; her inner voice was screaming in silent anguish and betrayal as she sank
into the shadowed corner of the restroom, holding her head in her hands whilst the tears kept flowing.
19) Tom turned red with fury.
20) Peter was boiling with rage
21) He stamped his foot in anger.
22) Sally gritted her teeth in anger.
23) They were too angry for words.
24) Her voice crackled with anger.
25) Jake stormed off towards the exit.
26) His anger turned into violence.
27) He drew in his breath with a long hiss.
28) He was like a bull in a china shop.
29) A wave of futile rage swept over him.
30) An angry frown creased her forehead.
31) I could see her eyes glowing in fury.

13. 32) He was so angry that his blood boiled.
33) She stormed out of the room in anger.
34) His fist came down on the table with a loud bang.
35) In a fit of anger, he stabbed her to death.
36) His eyes flashed with anger and resentment.
37) His face was contorted with rage and fury.
38) He clenched his fist and shook with fury.
39) He was fuming but he contained his anger.
40) Seething with anger, he approached me menacingly.
41) In a blind fury, he smashed the chair against the television set.
42) With hands trembling from anger, the man slapped the boy hard.
43) She was hopping mad when she heard the slanderous accusations.
44) His hands were shaking uncontrollably and his face turned an ominous red.
45) His face had turned to the colour of molten lava and his eyes flashed bolts of lightning.
46) She stared with eyes filled with anger and hatred that were beyond description
47) Father flew into a rage when I told him I had lost the valuable watch he bought for me.
48) My sister and I had a heated argument over the new dress we were supposed to share.
49) I was shocked at the string of abusive words that came out from her mouth when we quarrelled.
50) Ahmad lost his temper and slapped his brother. In the next moment, fists were flying, as they
exchanged blows.
51) Mary was as angry as a bull that saw red when she realised that she had been conned by the quick-
witted salesman.
52) After hearing that John had betrayed him, Ali went for his blood.
53) He clenched his fists in anger.
54) Flying into a rage, he slapped his sister’s face for ruining the things he loved most.
55) As Jim was naughty, Mrs Lim scolded him in a thunderous voice.

14. Good expressions for regret/guilt
1) He lived a life of self-condemnation ever since he lost his child.
2) He was guilt-ridden for not lending a helping hand to his friend.
3) He reproached himself for scolding the person he loves.
4) Feeling reprehensible for the tragedy, he vowed never to drive again.
5) He felt rather contrite for having deceived his friends.
6) It was an agonizing feeling of shame and guilt.
7) Feeling remorseful for the accident that happened, he kneeled down in front of the victim’s family to
beg forgiveness.
8) All these years, the old man had carried his guilt like a gestating foetus in his mind.
9) Regret rushed through her veins, for her harsh words.
10) An unexpected wave of guilt swept over Jessica and she quickly suppressed it as soon as it came.
Good expressions for grief
1) No words could express the secret agony of my soul.
2) On hearing the terrible news, we were too numb to even cry.
3) She looked up at me with an inconsolable face.
4) Overcome by grief, the mother fainted when she saw her son’s body in the mortuary.
5) The wife was hysterical with grief when told of her husband’s death.
6) He would not show his grief but only stared glumly ahead.
7) Tears formed in my eyes. How my heart ached. I was crushed I could hardly breathe. My lungs burned
as I tried desperately to cry and breathe normally.
8) My heart shattered. My thoughts whirled and I cried as hard as I could but it didn’t help.
9) I was so overcome with grief that there were times when my tears actually flowed down without my
noticing it.
10) The nights grew lonely; darkness seemed to suck the day dry of its essence.
Good expressions for describing panic/disbelief/fear/anxious
1) Terror seized us all.

15. 2) Panic started to engulf him.
3) She was at a loss for words.
4) He froze for a few seconds.
5) I rose shakily to my feet.
6) A rude shock awaited them.
7) A chill went down her spine.
8) The sight of the ghost sent shudders down her spine.
9) A loud voice boomed, sending shivers down her spine.
10) I was powerless and frantic with terror.
11) She screamed at the top of her voice.
12) She screamed her head off when she saw the corpse.
13) She jumped in fright when her mother suddenly shouted at her.
14) His face turned pale and his skin felt cold and clammy.
15) Overcome with fright, she lost her balance and fell down in a swoon.
16) She experienced a feeling of weakness before blacking out.
17) She stood rooted to the ground.
18) The shock robbed him of speech.
19) I was too afraid to utter a word.
20) A haze of fear surrounded him.
21) The timid girl shrank back in fear.
22) Gary stood motionless with horror.
23) She was panic-stricken when she realised she was trapped.
24) Frightened thoughts raced through his mind
25) They fled in panic when they saw the charging dog.
26) Our hair stood on end as a cry rang shrilly in the night.

16. 27) Fighting back tears of fear, he stared motionless at the approaching danger.
28) With his sense of direction gone, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
29) Paralysed with fear, he was speechless.
30) The frightened child was screaming incoherently.
31) I woke sobbing, drenched in sweat and paralysed with fear.
32) I was roused by a sound which brought my heart to my mouth.
33) They huddled together and stared apprehensively into the darkness.
34) Terror gripped his whole being and perspiration started dripping from his forehead.
35) A chill ran swiftly up his back, causing the nape of his neck to tingle.
36) I was sick to my stomach at the horrendous sight.
37) Suddenly, he heard his children’s shouts from the garden, shrill with excitement.
38) Back in the room, Tom was simply quivering all over with excitement.
39) The crowd let out a stupendous cheer as the team scored a home goal.
40) Their pulses raced as they neared their final goal.
41) Henry’s skin tingled with excitement as he watched the hair-raising race.
42) They stared at him in blank amazement.
43) She rummaged frantically in her handbag for the revolver.
44) Ali crouched at the corner, shuddering in fear that the gangster might harm him.
45) Cold fear gripped me as I began to imagine all sorts of things that could happen to me in the haunted
house.
46) I was about to turn the key when I heard something. I held my breath and put my ear against the
door.
47) Susan returned home and told her mother in a shaky tone that she had been robbed in the lift.
48) Tom turned as white as a sheet when he was caught red-handed stealing Ali’s wallet.
49) I was shocked when my brother got home with a bloodstained face, and bruises all over his arms and
legs.
50) He was scared stiff when he saw the ghost.

17. 51) Her hair stood on end when she watched the horror movie.
52) The screams of terror gave way to dead silence in the haunted house.
53) Nervously, I opened the door and slowly tiptoed towards him.
54) My voice quivering, I felt goose pimples all over my body.
55) Trembling with fear, I handed them the keys
56) The piece of news hit us like a bombshell.
57) We were too dumbfounded for words
58) There was a lump in my throat when I saw the shadow.
59) Cold sweat trickled down my forehead when I woke up from a nightmare.
60) I tried to walk at a faster pace but my knees turned to jelly and I felt sick.
61) The boy tried to stifle his scream but was unsuccessful. He was caught!
62) My scream echoed eerily throughout the graveyard. I was paralysed with fear.
63) He was speechless with fright when he saw the ghost.
64) His heart pounded in his chest as he walked into the old mansion
65) I jumped with a start when I heard the noise.
66) The eerie room made my blood run cold
67) All the windows were closed and the figure looked dark and menacing.
68) It missed me by a few centimetres but it scared the life out of me.
69) Fear gripped me and I dared not move.
70) All sorts of frightening things crossed my mind.
71) My legs were heavy and frightening thoughts flooded my mind.
72) My heart throbbed with fear at what I had seen.
73) His senses were numbed when the crooks pointed a gun at him.
74) My bones were jittering and my heart leapt to my throat.
75) The killer was very instinctive, even his footsteps echoed danger.

18. 76) His unearthly and awesome appearance struck terror in all.
77) He gave a blood-curdling scream when a vampire appeared in his room.
78) We trembled when John did death-defying stunts on the ledge of his tenth storey apartment.
79) This place gives me the creeps
80) I felt my blood chill in my veins.
81) For the first time I felt a sense of panic. “Oh my god!” I cried in disbelief.
82) With a heart thumping fiercely against her chest, she entered the wedding scene, cringing slightly at
the bright shimmering lights.
83) Instead of àTom was lost, and he could find his mummy and daddy.
84) Tom stopped suddenly, as an ominous realization hit him to the point of crying. He looked around,
looking for the two familiar faces that guarded him for as long as he could remember. Tom began calling
out their names: Mummy, and Daddy.
85) No response came. Fear started to burn his heart and spread throughout his body like wildfire. Tom
went to the corner and slumped down, unconscious of the tears that stained his cheeks. His cries of
childish terror filled the corridor. He was lost.
86) A horrific sight greeted me.
87) She blinked her long-lashed eyes disbelief and gave a small gasp.
88) Extremely puzzled and agitated by the strange happenings, angela felt rather disturbed and upset.
Substitute words for nervous/anxious
a) Apprehensive
b) Timorous
c) Alarmed
d) Panicky
e) Panic-stricken
f) Disquieted
g) Agitated
h) Jittery
i) Jumpy

19. j) nervy
Substitute words for wonderment
a) Spellbound
b) Astonished
c) Astounded
d) Amazed
e) Awe-struck
f) Fascinated
g) Impressed
h) Dumbfounded
i) Flabbergasted
j) Bewildered
k) dazzled
Phrases to describe happiness
a) Heart skipped a beat
b) Heart was thumping wildly
c) Heart almost burst with happiness
d) Heart swelled with happiness
e) Jumped for joy
f) Shining eyes
g) Tears of joy welled up in her eyes
h) Her eyes lit up with joy
i) Her eyes sparkled with happiness
j) Shrieked with excitement
k) Mouth curled into a pleasant smile

20. l) I yelled a shout of joy as my prayers has been answered.
m) His eyes turned red and watery as he held her by her hand. A tear of great happiness and comfort
trickled down his cheeks till it was dangling on his chin.
n) The delight on her face was mixed with surprise.
o) The old friends kept up a flow of happy chatter over afternoon tea.
p) They were in high spirits as they traveled, singing songs and telling jokes.
Expressions to describe weather
Good Weather
1) The sun shone brilliantly and the water in the pond glittered invitingly.
2) The sun filtered through the clouds, signalling the end of the rain.
3) A golden glow spread across the sky as the sun chased the dark clouds away.
4) The whole landscape was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun.
5) Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze in the warm tropical sunshine.
6) Fresh air filled my lungs and I felt refreshed and exhilarated.
7) The breathtaking scenery captivated everyone.
8) The pond was bathed in a golden hue by the gentle sunlight and the water was as clear as crystal.
9) The sunlit clouds drifted across a clear blue sky.
10) The sun rose in a pool of crimson and gold, spilling light all over the land and the white clouds.
11) As the sun set, the few thin strips of clouds on the horizon turned shimmering gold.
12) It as a lovely walk, with the sun setting behind the mountain in a sea of liquid gold.
13) The sunset was glorious, all rosy and salmon pink.
14) The sky was filled with crimson and amber-tinted clouds.
15) It dawned bright and sunny, with a sky that was a deep blue, flecked with tiny white clouds.
16) The sun put its warm fingers into his tent opening and he felt the warmth on his sleeping bag.

21. Bad Weather
1) The sky above was full of tumultuous, dark and ragged clouds.
2) It was a cold grey afternoon with a dull sky and threatening rain.
3) Ominous black clouds covered the sky and released a sudden shower
4) Thunder rolled in from the west and rain began to fall.
5) The dark clouds grew ominous
6) Lightning and thunder raged with fury
7) The morning was cold and wet with a brisk wind sweeping the rain across the land.
8) A flash of forked lightning and a great clap of thunder came close upon each other.
9) Thunder roared and lightning flashed across the sky.
10) The howling of the wind frightened us all.
11) The wind was howling and soon there was a heavy downpour.
12) A curtain of rain beat down from the heavens.
13) Rain pelted down from skies.
14) The sky was most threatening. In no time, it was raining cats and dogs.
15) As I had neither a raincoat nor an umbrella, I was soon drenched to the skin.
16) The sky turned into a hideous grey as lightning struck and thunder rumbled.
17) It was raining cats and dogs.
18) He was soaked to the skin when he came back from the heavy downpour.
Expressions to describe Fire
1) The car burst into flames after colliding with a stationary lorry.

22. 2) Within seconds, the room was engulfed in flames.
3) A minute later, a loud explosion rocked the building.
4) Screaming in pain, the occupants of the burning house came staggering out into the streets.
5) Screams and loud cries pierced the air.
6) Flames swept over them.
7) Everybody was fleeing frantically.
8) Panic-stricken occupants rushed out of the burning houses.
9) Horrible screams filled the air.
10) Cloaked in a wet blanket, I crouched as low as I could to avoid the toxic smoke.
11) The scene was chaotic.
12) The wail of the fire engine siren could be heard.
13) There was not a moment to lose. The firemen started putting out the fire as soon as they arrived.
14) Smoke and sparks were whirling in all directions.
15) Thick smoke filled the air, shrouding the surroundings in total darkness.
16) Columns of smoke were seen streaming out of the burning building.
17) Many corpses were charred beyond recognition.
18) I looked up and saw the whole sky blazing red because of the fire.
19) As the house burned, tongues of flames leapt into the dark sky.
20) It took the firemen two hours to put the fire completely under control.
Expressions to describe accidents
1) Puddles of water were everywhere, making the road slippery and dangerous.
2) The car was going at full speed.

23. 3) The short-lived laughter turned into screams of horror when they saw a car coming straight at them.
4) The car was speeding down the road.
5) The reckless driver swerved from left to right, overtaking many vehicles.
6) He did not abide by the traffic rules.
7) The boy dashed across the road.
8) The driver tried to swerve to the right but he was too late.
9) I heard the screeching of the brakes.
10) The two cars collided with a deafening crash
11) With a deafening crash, the car slammed into a tree.
12) The car skidded and crashed through the railings.
13) The car was a total wreck.
14) The pedestrian was knocked down and became unconscious.
15) The victim lay in a pool of blood, groaning in pain.
16) The driver was bleeding profusely.
17) Patches of blood were splattered on the ground.
18) The front seat was splattered with blood.
19) The passengers were severely injured.
20) The victim was mutilated beyond recognition.
21) The wreckage burst into flames.
22) The traffic slowed down and motorists craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the accident.
23) There was a traffic jam. The vehicles were moving along bumper to bumper.
24) Some people simply stood there and shook their heads in disbelief.

24. 25) An ambulance was summoned.
26) The accident victim was bleeding profusely.
27) In order to avoid a collision with an oncoming lorry, Father quickly swerved his car to the right. The old
wagon ran a little way and crashed into the buffers of another.
Expressions to describe setting
a) The afternoon sun was glaring. The sky was clear, revealing a wide vast of pale blue.
b) She strolled to the back of the house by herself, and she saw the most beautiful backdrop. Trees were
everywhere and sunlight was trying its best to penetrate the thick lush greenery. Right at the very middle
of the trees was a small lake. Danielle leaned against the fence and admired the scene before her with
awe.
c) It was a chilly night. The moon had appeared out of the horizon and the skies were filled with stars.
e) Lightning streaked across the sky, sending umbrella-toting people scampering to their homes.
d) My feet sunk into the sand as I walked along the shore. The familiar smell of salt water filled my
nostrils. The weather was fine, and there were a couple of people around. I staggered to one of the
remote corners of the beach. The seagulls screamed past me as I walked towards them. I picked a
button-shaped pebble and tossed it into the water, creating a disturbance in the calm water. I looked up in
the sky and then back down onto the sand. I shut my eyes tightly, but could not control my tears. They
trickled down my cheeks. I felt that my life was meaningless.
e) The wonderful sunset at the horizon, the chilling sea breeze and the wonderful melodic sounds of the
splashing waves as the tide started to climb in.
Words to replace "Said"
Anger Fear Sad Excited

25. Roared
Fumed
Snarled
Snapped
Chided
Exploded
Growled
Retorted
Bellowed
Barked
Yelled
Snorted
Shouted
Stuttered
Gasped
Implored
Pleaded
Whimpered
Stammered
Whispered
Sobbed
Moaned
Cried
Lamented
Wailed
Whined
Exclaimed
Raved
Ranted
Screeched
Shouted
Shrieked
Screamed
Squealed
Describing People
Face and Head Nose Hair
Pale-looking Long sharp nose With lovely curls
Freckled cheeks Hooked nose Wavy hair
Square jaws snub nose Neatly combed
Pimply face enormous nose Plaited
Sun-tanned skin Eyes /
Eyebrows
Unkempt hair
Sunken cheeks Bright sparkling
eyes
Hair in a tangled
mess
Wizened (old,
shrunken and
wrinkled with age)
Eyes twinkling with
mischief
Long, soft and
silky hair
Full of pockmarks Bloodshot eyes Hair sticking out
A fair complexion, A
dark complexion , A
swallow complexion
Small, beady eyes
looking sly
Shoulders
Voice Dull, expressionless
eyes
Broad muscular
shoulders
A screeching voice Eyes as red as
burning coals
Narrow and
sloping shoulders
Loud and
dictatorial
Squinty eyes

26. Deep, authoritative
voice
Almond- shaped
eyes
Dry and caustic Eyes that slant
upwards
Tremulous Puffy eyes, Bulging
eyes, small piggy
eyes
Vocabulary to describe people
Words to describe certain types of people

27. Alternative words
Hyphenated adjectives

28. Other Phrases
1. I had to see a doctor as I was running a high temperature and had a runny nose too.
2. The labourers working in the hot sun were perspiring profusely.
3. The whole room was splattered with blood. It was indeed a gruesome murder.
4. We were relieved when Mother regained consciousness shortly after she had
collapsed in the kitchen.
5. The jug was already filled to the brim with water.
6. Last evening, we had a sumptuous meal at the popular restaurant.
7. After a long and tiring bus ride, we finally arrived at our destination.
8. The wailing sirens could be heard in the distance and soon, the fire engines and
ambulances were in sight.
9. In the dark of the night, I could hear the howling of the wind and the strange noises
made by different animals.
10. The newly opened department store was packed with people yesterday.
11. From the top of Mount Faber, we can have a clear view of the harbour.
12. When I found no one at home and discovered that the whole place was in a mess,
my imagination began to run wild.
13. Immediately I ran for my life, but the killer was hot on my heels.
14. When I was called up by the principal, I entered his office with mixed feelings.
15. I still treasure fond memories of my happy childhood days.
16. When all the excitement had died down, everyone returned to his seat and resumed
work.
17. I caught sight of Bob running at top speed to the tuckshop once the bell had gone.
18. I don’t think you should keep the wallet. It should be returned to the rightful owner.
19. Although it was not a big house, it was very well-furnished.
20. It was only after much persuasion that Alice finally agreed to attend the party.
21. After spending an enjoyable day at my friend’s house, I thanked her family for their
hospitality and bade them farewell.
22. I immediately gave him medical aid and tried to relieve him of his pain.
23. Please consider the matter carefully before coming to a decision.
24. Mother keep telling lazy Jack to study hard for the examination, but her advice fell

29. on deaf ears.
25. I had forgotten to study for the test, but by the stroke of luck, I managed to pass it.
26. Hawkers selling the New Year delicacies had a roaring business before the festival.
27. With extremely good results scored by the pupils, ‘Prize-giving Day’ was indeed a
red-letter day for the entire school.
28. He feasted his eyes on all the delicious food laid on the table.
29. The children had a whale of a time at the tea party.
30. The school is just a stone’s throw away from his house.
31. I couldn’t understand how my pen could disappear into thin air.
32. The poor beggar was so hungry that he simply gobbled up the food.
33. Mother nodded in approval of my suggestion.
34. Betty eyed the stranger with suspicion because he had been standing at the gate
for more than an hour.
35. The girl with long silky hair and smooth complexion is my sister.
36. The little boy was numbed with cold as he begged in the streets on a winter night.
37. That old man with the wrinkled face and toothless grin is my grandfather.
38. I knew I was wrong, but my foolish pride held me back from apologizing to him.
39. I always like to hear the waves splashing because they soothe and calm my nerves.
40. From this window, I could have a picturesque view of the sea and the mountain.
41. I lost my balance, slipped and fell with a loud crash and a heavy thud.
42. Orville Wright climbed into the glider. The engine burst into life and the machine
was soon in flight.
43. Mary had to tell a white lie to save her friend from further embarrassment.
44. The top pupil had all her answers at her fingertips.
45. The boy told a cock and bull story to explain his naughty act, hoping to escape
punishment.
46. The throbbing headache that I have makes it difficult for me to concentrate on my
work.
47. To participate in the competition or not is a nagging problem for most of our Primary
Six pupils.
48. The disobedient son is a thorn in Mrs Li’s flesh.
49. Mrs Poh could not afford to buy a radio for she had been living from hand to mouth.
50. Wanli is a bull in a china shop. When he walks, he either knocks down something or
brushes against somebody.
51. Is a pencil missing from your pencil-box? Why raise a storm in a tea cup?
52. That fat middle-aged lady waddled like a duck down the corridor.
53. They felt a surge of embarrassment going through their bodies.
54. Ali gave Ahmad a cold shoulder when he discovered that he had made an unfair
remark about him.
55. His hatred for his rival grew deeper.

30. 56. Like they say, every dog has its day.
57. She was a very poor old woman, but she managed to keep her cottage spick and
span and she always had a vase of flowers on her table.
58. There was an old red cushion there, very worn and shabby.
59. It was a cold and frosty night.
60. His face turned red with embarrassment when everyone started teasing him.
61. His face turned as red as an apple when he realised that his zip was open.
62. There was a hive of activity during that day.
63. The minutes ticked by as I waited for my friend.
64. The peace and tranquillity of the park attracted many tourists.
65. He was green with jealousy when he saw his girlfriend talking to another man.
66. Then one day, tragedy struck. The volcano erupted and claimed thousands of lives.
67. They listened to him with utmost interest.
68. Then, before I could even flick an eyelash, they ran past me.
69. As he put the flute to his lips, the music was like the clear call of summer birds in
the evening.
70. Soon, I realised that I had been walking in circles.
71. Without uttering a word, he stalked off.
72. I hit upon a bright idea on how to solve the difficult puzzle.
73. We craned our necks to catch a glimpse of the superstar.
74. People were bargaining at the top of their voices, in different languages, over the
food price.
75. When she peered over the wall, she saw a snake.
Useful Phrases For Composition Writing
They congregated at the void deck every morning.
Trudging home wearily,
It whizzed past my astonished eyes…..
It was a distressing sight…
He was on the floor, wincing in pain….
With her stick brandished in the air,….
He hobbled forward awkwardly…
Feeling remorseful,
He apologized profusely to the ….
With thunderous applause…..

31. My curiosity was aroused….
He was heaving a sigh of relief…
She shrieked excitedly…
We wormed our way through the crowd.
There were cloying smells of cheap perfume and sweat…
Excitement was building up…
The bewildered audience…
Sweat trickled down my face…
Screams of delirious laughter could be heard…
He stood there, making derogatory remarks…
A shrill voice pierced through the darkness…
The gangster hurled vulgarities and expletives like molten rock spewing
from an angry volcano….
With a penetrating voice…
It was giving me shivers down my spine…
It droned another voice…
I was wondering at the juxtaposition of fear…
A ghostly apparition appeared in front of me…
Mist swirling away from the choppy waters of the sea…
Paroxysms of fear and agony…
With renewed vigor,….
The crowd dispersed…
the tranquil moonlight…
he muttered with utmost conviction..
hurled abuses…
gasped in surprise…
The room reverberated with the noise of the shot.
Anger
• Her face was contorted with rage and fury.
• Jimmy was so angry that his blood boiled.
• Tim’s voice crackled with anger.
• An angry frown creased her forehead.
• A wave of futile rage swept over him.
• Venom spewed from his lips as he cursed belligerently.
• She was like a bull in a china shop.
• Seething with anger, Mrs. Lee approached Ben menacingly.

32. • Her eyes flashed with anger and resentment.
• His anger turned into violence.
Sadness
• Tears welled up in his eyes and began rolling down her cheeks like rivulets.
• No one could express his agony.
• She was on the brink of tears.
• He felt the whole world collapsing upon him.
• Dark clouds seemed to loom over her head.
• She felt as if her heart had been ripped from her body.
• He cried his heart out on hearing the tragic news.
• She fell to her knees, clutching her head in despair.
• He felt the whole weight of the world upon her shoulders.
• His eyes were puffy and red after all the crying.
Shock / Frightened
• Panic started to engulf him.
• Terror seized us all. / They were panic-stricken.
• Paralyzed with fear, he could not command his legs to run.
• The shock robbed him of speech. He was at a loss for words.
• The blood drained from his face when he heard the tragic news.
• A chill ran down his spine.
• His hair stood on ends as a cry rang high into the night.
• She screamed her head off when she saw the corpse.
• She stood rooted to the ground, motionless with horror.
• A haze of fear surrounded her.
Happiness
• He was over the moon when he heard the good news.
• She was grinning from ear to ear.
• She could hardly contain her joy.
• Her eyes glittered with tears of joy.
• It seemed as if a smile was plastered on her face.
• They were saturated with happiness.
• She felt as if the whole world was on her side.
• He nearly fell over in elation after learning that he had won the prize.
• Her bright smile was infectious, lighting up the room.
• Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks.
Nervous
• His hands felt clammy.
• She felt butterflies in her stomach.
• Tingling with anxiety, she made her way to the stage.
• Her heart was in her mouth.
• He could hear his heart pounding wildly.
Pain
• She let out an ear-piercing scream.
• Writhing in agony, she cried for help.
• She could feel a sharp pain pierce through his leg.
• Crimson red blood oozed out of his wound profusely.
• There was an excruciating pain in his leg.

33. • He was in throbbing pain.
Tired
• She was worn out with fatigue.
• She could not muster a single ounce of strength anymore.
• She was dog-tired.
• She felt giddy with exhaustion.
• He drifted into slumberland.
Phrases to Describe Happiness
1. in a state of bliss - complete happiness, spiritual joy
a. Eating the chocolate cake made by the famous pastry chef put me in a state of bliss.
b. Jane was in a state of bliss after her boyfriend of five years proposed to her.
2. on cloud nine – in a state of elation
a. Tom was on cloud nine when Mary agreed to go out on a date with him.
b. Sally was on cloud nine after she graduated from college.
3. over the moon – extremely happy
a. When he found out that he had passed his English examinations, he was over the moon.
b. John was over the moon when the announcer called out his lucky draw number..
4. dizzy with delight – in a state of (uncontrollable) happiness
a. Jane was dizzy with delight when he found out that his parents had bought her a puppy.
b. The boy was dizzy with delight to find out that he had won the competition.
5. jumping for joy - action to show happiness
a. The children were jumping for joy when they found out that there was no school the next day.
b. When his parents agreed to buy him a bicycle, he jumped for joy.
6. in high spirits – in a good mood
a. The boys were in high spirits after they won the soccer match.
b. In high spirits, the soldiers sang loudly as they marched.
7. having a whale of a time - enjoying a really good time or event
a. The twins had a whale of a time at the theme park.
b. Trust me, you will have a whale of time at this party.
8. seventh heaven – eternal bliss (used as a hyperbole)
a. Tania was in seventh heaven when she found out that she got into the secondary school that
she wanted.

34. b. When the baby spoke her very first word, her mother was in seventh heaven.
9. grin from ear to ear – smiling widely
a. He grinned from ear to ear when he unwrapped his present.
b. The cheeky boy grinned from ear to ear as he thought of a really good prank to play on his
friend.
10. walking on air – elated or exuberantly joyful
a. Tony was walking on air when he found out that he got top in class
b. He sure is walking on air today! I wonder what is the good news?
Phrases to Describe Sadness
1. down in the dumps - gloomy, melancholic state of mind
a. Mr Tan was down in the dumps after he lost his job.
b. Sofia was down in the dumps to find out that her pet cat had passed away
2. heart-rending – causing great sadness / distress
a. She sang such a heart-rending version of that song that it made everyone in the room tear.
b. When she heard the bad news, she let out a heart-rending wail and fell to her knees in grief
3. feeling blue – unhappy, depressed
a. He was feeling blue as he was left out from the class gathering.
b. Feeling blue, Sharon locked herself in the room and ate ice-cream.
4. heavy-hearted / heavy heart – feeling melancholic or depressed
a. After finding out that she had failed all her tests, Sally walked home with a heavy heart.
b. John was heavy-hearted to find out that his team had lost the competition.
5. wretched with grief – in a state of extreme sadness, grief-stricken
a. Lola was wretched with grief when she found out that her pet dog had died.
b. Wretched with grief, the lady buried her face in her hands and started sobbing.
6. In the doldrums – sluggish, in low spirits, dull, listless
a. Jack was in the doldrums after losing the match. He spent most of his time sleeping in his
room.
b. One the first day of school after the holidays, the teacher could sense that the entire class
was in the doldrums.
7. bummed out – upset, disappointed
a. He felt bummed out after being losing the badminton match.

35. b. I am feeling bummed out from getting fired from my job.
8. reduced to tears – make a person cry
a. When the Mr Lee reprimanded her for not handing up her homework, she was reduced to
tears.
b. The boxer was reduced to tears when he realised that he had lost the match.
9. crestfallen – dispirited, dejected
a. He was crestfallen to find out that his application to his secondary school of choice was
rejected.
b. After losing the match, the players went home, crestfallen.
10. sinking feeling - a feeling of uneasiness and apprehension
a. I have a sinking feeling that this idea will not work out well.
b. The moment he heard the phone rang, he had a sinking feeling that something was not right.
Phrases to Describe Anger
1. blinded by rage – unable to think clearly due to extreme anger
a. Blinded by rage, he threw his chair at the teacher.
b. Tim was so blinded by rage that he shouted at his groupmates in front of the whole class.
2. go ballistic – fly into a rage
a. Father went ballistic after he found out that I was suspended from school.
b. I got some bad news for you but you must promise me that you will not go ballistic when you
hear it.
3. burst a blood vessel – to be very angry or frustrated over something
a. Mrs Lim nearly burst a blood vessel while marking the student’s essays.
b. If I talk to her again, I might burst a blood vessel
4. expressed outrage - showed displeasure or anger
a. The public expressed outrage over the hiking of public transport fares.
b. The workers expressed their outrage when the boss broke the news that their salaries will be
cut this year.
5. on a warpath – extremely angry and inclined to take action (often hostile)
a. Mr Toh was on a warpath the moment he found out that his car was vandalised.
b. Stay away from him. Someone stole his hand phone and now he is on a warpath.
6. hissy fit - a tantrum or an angry outburst

36. a. My younger sister threw a hissy fit when my parents refused to buy her the toy she wanted.
b. Ignore her. She is throwing another one of her hissy fits.
7. animosity – strong hostility, hatred
a. I do not know what I did to her to deserve such animosity!
b. The senior students displayed animosity to the junior students who were sharing the
basketball court with them.
8. tongue-lashing – to give a scolding
a. Jon received a severe tongue lashing from our form teacher after he failed to hand up his
homework for the third time.
b. Father gave me a tongue lashing for failing my composition test.
9. exasperated – infuriate, irritate intensely
a. Sally was exasperated by her mother’s constant nagging.
b. I am exasperated by her lousy working attitude!
10. blow your top off - to lose your temper
a. The principal blew his top off when the boy argued back instead of apologising for his
misdeeds.
b. Take a step back and count to ten. You do not want to blow your top off and say things that
you will regret later.
Phrases to Describe Fear
1. the heebie-jeebies – a state of nervousness caused by fear or anxiety.
a. This place is giving me the heebie-jeebies.
b. The moment I entered the store room, I got the heebie-jeebies.
2. blood run cold – to be extremely frightened
a. When the robber whipped out his knife to my throat, my blood ran cold.
b. Hearing her scream made my blood run cold
3. to get goose bumps – bumps appearing on the skin due to cold or emotional stress.
a. Sally got goose bumps the moment she heard someone call her name out in the dark.
b. That howling sound is giving me goosebumps!
4. deer caught in the headlights – too frightened or surprised to move.
a. “Larry!” the teacher shouted. Larry immediately froze like a deer caught in the headlights.
b. Like a deer caught in the headlights, Garren stood rooted to the ground with his jaw hanging
open.

37. 5. sense of foreboding – feeling a sense of impending evil or misfortune.
a. When I entered the house, I felt a strong sense of foreboding.
b. As she entered the lift with the stranger, she got a strong sense of foreboding.
6. your heart missed a beat - to feel so frightened or excited that your heart beats faster.
a. Tom’s felt his heart miss a beat when he heard a loud, gruff voice behind him
b. My heart missed a beat the moment that truck swerved out of nowhere!
7. on pins and needles – nervous, in suspense
a. He was on pins and needles while waiting for his name to be called out.
b. While waiting for the exam results to be released, the students were on pins and needles.
8. scared out of one’s wits – extremely frightened
a. Michelle was scared out of her wits when her brother jumped out of the closet with a mask.
b. The loud explosion scared me out of my wits.
9. shake like a leaf – to tremble intensely from fear
a. She could not stop herself from shaking like a leaf as she hid under her bed.
b. The hostage started to shake like a leaf when the robber pressed his knife up against her
throat.
10. hyperventilate – to breathe abnormally fast or deep
a. When she saw the amount of blood she lost, she started hyperventilating.
b. The victim was still hyperventilating from the shock when the police arrived at the scene.
Phrases to Describe Surprise
1. at a loss for words – too surprised to speak
a. I was at a loss for words when she gave me a surprise present!
b. I don’t know what to say. I didn’t expect to win so I am at a loss for words right now.
2. dumbstruck - too surprised to speak
a. I was dumbstruck when the host announced that I have won the first prize.
b. He was dumbstruck by the subsequent string of events that happened within a few seconds.
3. taken aback – surprised or confused
a. I was taken aback by the news!
b. Laura was taken aback by the rude actions of the sales staff.
4. dropped the bombshell – make an unexpected or shattering announcement

38. a. Toby dropped the bombshell during dinner. He told his parents that he had to be retained for
failing all his exams.
b. She dropped the bombshell by revealing that she was three months pregnant.
5. caught off guard - to surprise someone by doing something unexpected
a. The defender was caught off guard by striker’s sudden speed.
b. Willy was caught off guard by the bully’s sudden attack.
6. flabbergasted – astonished, astounded
a. He was flabbergasted by the queue he saw outside his shop.
b. Karen was flabbergasted when she saw the decorations in her house.
7. stupefied – astonished, unable to think properly
a. His mother was stupefied when she realised that her son was the one performing the
daredevil stuns.
b. Stupefied by what his friend had just done, Bob stood there with his mouth agape.
8. jaw-dropping – amazing
a. Hilary is able to perform some jaw-dropping stunts on her skateboard!
b. The acrobat did some jaw-dropping moves to entertain the audience.
9. confound – to cause surprise and confusion
a. The teacher was confounded when she found out that her naughtiest student was the top
scorer in class.
b. All the students were confounded by the essay topic they were tasked to write during the
exams.
10. out of the blue – without warning, unexpectedly
a. Out of the blue, there was a very loud crash.
b. The car came swerving into my lane out of the blue.
Phrases to Describe Excitement
1. bounce off the walls – full of nervous energy and excitement
a. The children were bouncing off the walls when the teacher told them that they were going on
a field trip.
b. After hearing the good news, she was bouncing off the walls.
2. adrenaline pumping – a high state of excitement
a. As the starter gun sounded off, my adrenaline started pumping.
b. His adrenaline started pumping when the competition began.

39. 3. buzz - sense of excitement, kick
a. Nothing beats the buzz of scoring a three-pointer shot in basketball!
b. The teenagers got a buzz from sitting that roller-coaster.
4. ripple of excitement – a series of quiet but excited murmurs
a. A ripple of excitement spread through the hall before the principal was about to make the
announcement of school closure the coming Friday.
b. The news caused a ripple of excitement to spread among the students.
5. cause a stir – to cause unusual interest or excitement
a. The loud bang in the corridor caused a stir and soon everyone was running out from the
classroom.
b. Richard brought his pet dog to school and caused quite a stir.
6. pumped – extremely enthusiastic
a. I am so pumped for my performance later on!
b. Felicia was feeling pretty pumped for the competition.
7. burst with excitement – to have a strong feeling of excitement
a. When she heard the news, she burst with excitement.
b. The children burst with excitement when they found out that they were going on an excursion.
8. eager beaver - an enthusiastic person
a. James is an eager beaver who will finish the entire group project himself!
b. During the math class, Tobias transforms into an eager beaver as it is his best subject.
9. fervour – intense, passionate feeling
a. The pop star brought the audience to a fervour with her most popular songs.
b. The crowd displayed a patriotic fervour during the National Day celebrations.
10. zeal – great energy and enthusiasm in pursuing something
a. He possessed tremendous zeal in achieving his dreams.
b. The zealous fans thronged the stage to get the pop star’s autograph.
Phrases to Describe Pain
1. gruelling – tiring and demanding
a. The long, gruelling marathon put many runners to the test.
b. This is a gruelling job. Are you sure you can take it?
2. torment – to undergo physical pain or mental anguish

40. a. Going through 4 periods of math class in one day is just a torment!
b. Tormented by his past, the ex-convict had difficulty sleeping at night.
3. lacerations – deep cuts or tear in flesh
a. She suffered some lacerations after falling off her motorcycle.
b. Blood was flowing out from the lacerations in his leg.
4. tender – painful, sore
a. My knee was still tender from that fall.
b. Don’t touch my arm! It is still tender.
5. writhed – twisting, squirming contortions of the body
a. The injured player was writhing on the grass and groaning in pain.
b. Clutching his stomach, the boy writhed in pain.
6. agonising – extremely painful or distressful
a. The parents had a long, agonising wait outside the surgery room while their child was being
operated on.
b. The pain was so agonising that he was groaning every few minutes.
7. excruciating – intensely painful
a. The pain was so excruciating that he screamed like a little girl.
b. An excruciating pain shot through my ribs.
8. throbbing – strong regular rhythm
a. I have a throbbing headache.
b. His arm throbbed in pain.
9. pain the neck – a nuisance
a. That lady is such a pain in the neck. I hope she goes away!
b. Elliot can be a real pain in the neck to work with.
10. torturous – causing suffering
a. After the torturous training, the soldiers were finally allowed to rest.
b. The torturous heat caused many of the runners to faint halfway.
Phrases to Describe Tiredness
1. dead tired – extremely weary
a. Father was dead tired after working overtime till 12 midnight.

41. b. I am dead tired from studying the whole of last night.
2. sleep like a log – to sleep deeply or soundly
a. I slept like a log last night. I did not even realise that my radio was turned on!
b. Mother tried to wake him up but he carried on sleeping like a log.
3. worn out – exhausted
a. I am worn out from solving problem after problem.
b. When the entire day was over, Kelly felt worn out.
4. burn out – become exhausted
a. Do take a break from studying! You do not want to get burned out!
b. He was feeling burned out from all the school projects he had to complete.
5. ready to drop – nearly too exhausted and may fall asleep any moment
a. After 3 hours of badminton and 2 hours of soccer, Jimmy was ready to drop.
b. I was ready to drop by the time I got home.
6. hit the sack – go to bed
a. I have to hit the sack early tonight as I have a big test tomorrow.
b. It is time to hit the sack. Training resumes early tomorrow.
7. dog-tired – extremely tired
a. Sophie was dog-tired after one whole day of orientation games.
b. I am dog-tired after teaching back-to-back classes.
8. out like a light – to fall asleep quickly
a. The moment he sat down, he was out like a light.
b. Few minutes into the show, Dave was already out like a light.
9. dead on one’s feet – extremely weary
a. Robert was dead on his feet after working for 8 hours without break.
b. After 4 hours of dance practice, I was dead on my feet.
10. drained – tired
a. After teaching non-stop for 8 hours, the teacher was completely drained.
b. Noel was drained from the long-distance travelling.

42. Use these words to make your composition beautiful and impressive
TEARS
1. Sue broke into tears.
2. A dark mood came over Jane.
3. She was on the verge of tears.
4. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.
5. No words could express his agony.
6. Tears welled up in Nancy’s eyes.
7. The poor child sobbed sorrowfully.
8. With a heavy heart, he left the hospital.
9. My heart sank when I heard the sad news.
10. Her eyes were puffy and red after all the crying.
11. She cried her heart out on hearing the tragic news.
12. The frightened child was on the brink of tears.
13. They were sobbing their hearts out when they heard of their father’s sudden death.
14. Mrs Lee was so overcome with grief that she fainted a few times at her husband’s funeral.
15. My heart sank when my teacher told me that I had failed the examination.
16. The little girl burst into tears when she could not find her mother.
17. The little girl was close to tears when her mother left her in the care of the new maid.
18. She was so upset that she could not stop her tears from streaming down her cheeks.
19. A tingle of sorrow swept over me.
20. Her heart was shattered after hearing the devastating news.
21. With tears in my eyes, a quaver in my throat, tears streamed down my cheeks onto the ground.
22. Grief, remorse and depression covered me like a thick choking blanket.
23. Tears of sorrow rolled down my cheeks when I heard the heart-breaking news.
24. He howled dismally when his dog died.
25. After being wrongly accused by his best friend, he felt down in the dumps.
26. Kevin felt utterly miserable when Julia called off the wedding.
27. His heart overflowed with sadness when he lost the race.
28. Feeling blue, he went for a holiday to forget all his sorrow.
29. She felt very wretched after being slapped and locked up by her husband.
30. He told his cousins all his woes when they visited him.
31. He was so sad that he tried to drown his sorrows by going out to drink.
32. With tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks, Janice knelt down in front of her parents’
grave and cried out, “ I’ve been such an unfilial daughter!”
33. My father felt demoralised because he failed his driving test again.
34. The widow laments grievously at the death of her husband.
FRIGHTENED / EXCITED

43. 1 Terror seized us all.
2 Panic started to engulf him.
3 She was at a loss for words.
4 He froze for a few seconds.
5 I rose shakily to my feet.
6 A rude shock awaited them.
7 A chill went down her spine.
8 The sight of the ghost sent shudders down her spine.
9 A loud voice boomed, sending shivers down her spine.
10 I was powerless and frantic with terror.
11 She screamed at the top of her voice.
12 She screamed her head off when she saw the corpse.
13 She jumped in fright when her mother suddenly shouted at her.
14 His face turned pale and his skin felt cold and clammy.
15 Overcome with fright, she lost her balance and fell down in a swoon.
16 She experienced a feeling of weakness before blacking out.
17 She stood rooted to the ground.
18 The shock robbed him of speech.
19 I was too afraid to utter a word.
20 A haze of fear surrounded him.
21 The timid girl shrank back in fear.
22 Gary stood motionless with horror.
23 She was panic-stricken when she realised she was trapped.
24 Frightened thoughts raced through his mind.
25 They fled in panic when they saw the charging dog.
26 Our hair stood on end as a cry rang shrilly in the night.
27 Fighting back tears of fear, he stared motionless at the approaching danger.
28 With his sense of direction gone, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
29 Paralysed with fear, he was speechless.
30 The frightened child was screaming incoherently.
31 I woke sobbing, drenched in sweat and paralysed with fear.
32 I was roused by a sound which brought my heart to my mouth.
33 They huddled together and stared apprehensively into the darkness.
34 Terror gripped his whole being and perspiration started dripping from his forehead.
35 A chill ran swiftly up his back, causing the nape of his neck to tingle.
36 I was sick to my stomach at the horrendous sight.
37 Suddenly, he heard his children’s shouts from the garden, shrill with excitement.
38 Back in the room, Tom was simply quivering all over with excitement.
39 The crowd let out a stupendous cheer as the team scored a home goal.
40 Their pulses raced as they neared their final goal.
41 Henry’s skin tingled with excitement as he watched the hair-raising race.
42 They stared at him in blank amazement.
43 She rummaged frantically in her handbag for the revolver.
44 Ali crouched at the corner, shuddering in fear that the gangster might harm him.
45 Cold fear gripped me as I began to imagine all sorts of things that could happen to me in the
haunted house.
46 I was about to turn the key when I heard something. I held my breath and put my ear against the
door.
47 Susan returned home and told her mother in a shaky tone that she had been robbed in the lift.

44. 48 Tom turned as white as a sheet when he was caught red-handed stealing Ali’s wallet.
49 I was shocked when my brother got home with a bloodstained face, and bruises all over his arms
and legs.
50 He was scared stiff when he saw the ghost.
51 Her hair stood on end when she watched the horror movie.
52 The screams of terror gave way to dead silence in the haunted house.
53 Nervously, I opened the door and slowly tiptoed towards him.
54 My voice quivering, I felt goose pimples all over my body.
55 Trembling with fear, I handed them the keys
56 The piece of news hit us like a bombshell.
57 We were too dumbfounded for words
58 There was a lump in my throat when I saw the shadow.
59 Cold sweat trickled down my forehead when I woke up from a nightmare.
60 I tried to walk at a faster pace but my knees turned to jelly and I felt sick.
61 The boy tried to stifle his scream but was unsuccessful. He was caught!
62 My scream echoed eerily throughout the graveyard. I was paralysed with fear.
63 He was speechless with fright when he saw the ghost.
64 His heart pounded in his chest as he walked into the old mansion
65 I jumped with a start when I heard the noise.
66 The eerie room made my blood run cold.
67 All the windows were closed and the figure looked dark and menacing.
68 It missed me by a few centimetres but it scared the life out of me.
69 Fear gripped me and I dared not move.
70 All sorts of frightening things crossed my mind.
71 My legs were heavy and frightening thoughts flooded my mind.
72 My heart throbbed with fear at what I had seen.
73 His senses were numbed when the crooks pointed a gun at him.
74 My bones were jittering and my heart leapt to my throat.
75 The killer was very instinctive, even his footsteps echoed danger.
76 His unearthly and awesome appearance struck terror in all.
77 He gave a blood-curdling scream when a vampire appeared in his room.
78 We trembled when John did death-defying stunts on the ledge of his tenth storey apartment.
79 This place gives me the creeps.
80 I felt my blood chill in my veins.
Useful phrases
Feelings of happiness
 Jason was whistling merrily as he walked home from school.
 Mary looked very pleased when her friends sang her a song.
 Steve was grinning from ear to ear when his parents praised him .
 Julian flushed with delight when he was declared as the winner of the
competition.
 Peter skipped home cheerfully after school.
 The girls were in high spirits when they realised that they have made it to the
finals round of the competition.

45.  The dog wagged its tail happily as it followed its owner for a walk in the park.
 She was as happy as a lark.
Speech(feelings of happiness)
 “That was amazing!”Jill cried in delight.
 “Thank you so much!”Lucy exclaimed joyfully as the boy returned the wallet
to her.
 “Look what I have found! A brand new wallet!”she exclaimed gleefully.
 “My favourite ice-cream!”James squealed in delight .
Feelings of excitement
 I was so excited that I could hardly sleep.
 His heart pounded in excitement as he raced towards the park.
 Jane was head over heels with excitement when Mrs Tan told her
that the class would be going to the cinema.
 Michelle trembled with excitement as she opened the mystery gift.
 There was a buzz of excitement in the air as the teams got ready for
the match.
 I felt a jolt of excitement when Miss Lee told me that I won first prize
in the Math quiz.
Feelings of surprise
 I was truly amazed when the magician turned the girl into a rabbit.
 He was deeply puzzled by the treasure chest in the corner. “What
could be inside?” he wondered.
 Jessica was fascinated by the tricks that she saw in the magic show.
 To her great surprise,no one was in the room.
 Her eyes widened in surprise as the thief approached her.
 Mandy could not believe her eyes when she saw so many gifts on
her table.
 My eyes nearly popped out when I saw the prize tag on the dress.
 The news took him by surprise.
Feelings of anger
 She went red with fury when she realized that someone took her bag
away.
 The principal was very crossed with the pupils who play truant.
 The girl glared at the bullies angrily.
 She blew her top when she was scolded for no reason.

46.  His face was as black as thundercloud. No one dared to go near
him.
 Jimmy clenched his fists in anger and went up to the bullies.
 Jack’s father was fuming with anger when he could not find Jack in
his room.
Feelings of disappointment
 The teacher was was utterly disappointed by the pupils’result.
 She felt disheartned when she was not chosen to be on the school
team.
 Mary hung her head in disappointment when she failed the test.
 Her hopes were dashed when she learnt that she was not selected
for the play.
 She looked so sad and crestfallen.
 “I can’t believe we lost the game!”John cried out in dismay.
 Disappointment was written all over her face.
Feeling of fear
 As the sound of the footsteps became louder,my body started to
shiver with fear.
 May turned pale with fright as the snake glided towards her.
 I could hear my heart poundingso fast.
 I stay rooted to the ground,unable to move as I was paralysed with
fear.
 The trip has become a total nightmare for them.
 “Look out!” Danny shrieked in fright.
 Joline yelled out in fear as she two bears running towards her.
 I got cold feet at the last minute and decided not to go the roller
coaster ride.
Feeling of tiredness
 She collapsed in exhaustion on her big bed.
 He dozed off immediately after he sat on the couch.
 After a night of computer games, his eyes were bleary.
Feelings of curiosity
 Luke’s curious eyes noticed everything around him.
 Out of curiosity,she decided to open the black box.

47.  Rachel pokes her nose into everything and she was known as the
busybody in the class.
Useful phrases describing weather
(a) The sky and clouds: The high sunlit clouds drifted across a clear blue sky. The sky
above was full of tumultuous, dark, ragged clouds. A sky of mackerel clouds, crimson
and amber-tinted. It was a grey afternoon with a dull sky threatening rain. A cloud,
ominous and black, drifted over the mountain and released a sudden shower.
(b) Sunrise and sunset: The sun rose in a pool of crimson and gold, spilling light all
over the land and the white clouds. From freezing night, it turned to scorching day as
the sun climbed towards its zenith’s the sun set, the few thin strips of clouds on
the horizon turned shimmering godwit was a lovely walk, with the sun setting behind
the mountain in a sea of liquid gold. The sunsets have been glorious lately, all rosy and
salmon- pink.
(c) Lightning and thunder: Thunder came marching from far away with increasing
tread. Lightning and thunder raged with fury. A flash of forked lightning and a
great clap of thunder came close upon each other. A bolt of lightning tore across the
sky and a peal of thunder followed.
(d) Wind and rain: The wind was sighing and thrashing in the tree tops and the
boughs moaned. The morning was cold and wet with a brisk wind sweeping the rain
across the land. A curtain of rain beat down from the heavens.
(e) The moon: The moon was abnormally large and it bathed the earth with its
luminous glow.
GOOD / BEAUTIFUL WEATHER
1. The sun shone brilliantly and the water in the pond glittered invitingly.
2. The sun filtered through the clouds, signaling the end of the rain.
3. A golden glow spread across the sky as the sun chased the dark clouds away.
4. The whole landscape was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun.
5. Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze in the warm tropical sunshine.
6. Fresh air filled my lungs and I felt refreshed and exhilarated.
7. The breath-taking scenery captivated everyone.
8. The pond was bathed in a golden hue by the gentle sunlight and the water was as
clear as crystal.
9. The sunlit clouds drifted across a clear blue sky.
10. The sun rose in a pool of crimson and gold, spilling light all over the land and the
white clouds.
BAD WEATHER
1. The sky above was full of tumultuous, dark and ragged clouds.
2. It was a cold grey afternoon with a dull sky and threatening rain.
3. Ominous black clouds covered the sky and released a sudden shower.
4. Thunder rolled in from the west and rain began to fall.
5. The dark clouds grew ominous.
6. Lightning and thunder raged with fury.
7. The morning was cold and wet with a brisk wind sweeping the rain across the land.
8. A flash of forked lightning and a great clap of thunder came close upon each
other.
9. Thunder roared and lightning flashed across the sky.
10. The howling of the wind frightened us all.
Useful Phrases

48. Again and again: frequently, repeatedly
We shouldn’t commit the same mistake again and again.
Now and again: once in a while, at times, from time to time, occasionally
She writes now and again.
I visit my grandparents now and again.
All in all: Everything being taken into account
All in all, it was a pleasant journey.
All in all, life has been good to me.
All and sundry: everyone, one and all
All and sundry were invited to the party.
Drinks were served to all and sundry
Bag and baggage: with all one’s possessions
One fine morning, she showed up at our door bag and baggage.
The landlady threatened to throw me out bag and baggage if I didn’t pay the rent in time.
Betwixt and between: between
Whatever they earn, they share betwixt and between.
She sat betwixt and between the celebrities who were present at the function.
Bread and butter: a job that provides you with the money you need to make a living; someone’s basic income
Writing for websites is my bread and butter.
I will never quit this job. It is my bread and butter.
Customers are the bread and butter of every business.
Chock-a-block: jammed, squeezed together, stuffed
This part of the city is chock-a-block with dilapidated buildings.
The venue of the concert was chock-a-block full.
Pick and choose: select with great care
You can’t always pick and choose. Sometimes you have got to take what you are given.
You can’t pick and choose your parents and children.
Every now and again: often, frequently
She visits me every now and again.
See eye to eye: to agree about someone or something with someone else
She can’t see eye to eye with her mother-in-law.
He decided to quit the job because he couldn’t see eye to eye with his boss.
Face to face
I think we will be able to sort things out if we meet face to face.
She talks with her fiancé every other day over the phone, but she has never met him face to face.
Fair and square: justly, within the rules
Let all our actions be fair and square.
They divided the money fair and square.
Fair and square can also mean exactly.
She hit me fair and square on the nose.
Give and take: compromise, make concessions

49. We all have to give and take in life.
Ins and outs: correct way to do something
She knows the ins and outs of politics.
Rain or shine: no matter what happens
We will hold the party – rain or shine.
Don’t worry. I will stand by you rain or shine.
Ups and downs: a person’s good fortune and bad fortune
I have had my share of ups and downs.
Different words
Said
 enounced, enunciated - Speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way
 pronounced - Speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way
 articulated - Express or state clearly
 vocalized - Express or state clearly
 posited - Put firmly
 stated
 expressed
 reported
 alleged - Declared but not proved
 averred - Report or maintain, To declare or affirm in a grave manner and formally as true
 affirmed, asserted
 wrote
 composed
 indited - Produce a literary work
 penned - Produce a literary work
 spelt - Indicate or signify
 voiced, sounded - Give voice to
 demean - Reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
Noted (said)
 remarked
 denoted - Be a sign or indication of, "Her smile denoted that she agreed"
 observed
 commented
 mentioned
 referred
 announced
 noticed
Praise

50.  extol - (v) Praise, glorify, or honor
 exalt
 glorify
 laud
 proclaim
 revere
 idolize
 worship
 venerate
What is another word for praise?
What's another word for praise? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Noun
admiration
commendation
approval
acclaim
tribute
applause
compliment
recommendation
congratulations; adoration
accolade
appreciation
cheer
cry
devotion
esteem

51. glory
kudos
ovation
plaudit
rave
recognition
thanks
acclamation
approbation
boost
bravo
celebration
cheering
citation
encomium
eulogy
exaltation
extolment
flattery
glorification
homage

52. hurrah
hymn
obeisance
panegyric
puff
regard
sycophancy
worship
big hand
good word
laudation
pat on the back
Noun
honour
honor
adoration
blessing
Verb
admire
commend
extol
honor

53. honour
compliment
eulogise
eulogize
congratulate
pay tribute to
go into raptures over
applaud
acclaim
hail
congratulate; adore
advocate
appreciate
celebrate
cite
endorse
laud
proclaim
recommend
tout
adulate

54. aggrandize
approve
bless
boost
cajole
cheer
clap
dignify
distinguish
elevate
ennoble
exalt
flatter
glorify
puff
resound
reverence
root
sanction
stroke
worship

55. bow down
build up
cry up
give thanks
make much of
panegyrize
pay homage
pay tribute
rave over
sing the praises
smile on
Verb
adore
magnify
What is another word for patiently?
What's another word for patiently? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Adverb
uncomplainingly
long-sufferingly
tolerantly
good-naturedly
unwearyingly
bravely

56. calmly
meekly
quietly
dispassionately
enduringly
forbearingly
impassively
imperturbably
resignedly
submissively
Adverb
firmly
steadily
unabatingly
What is another word for leisurely?
What's another word for leisurely? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Adverb
casually
unhurriedly
languidly
lazily
sluggishly
at one's convenience

57. at one's leisure
calmly
comfortably
composedly
deliberately
dilatorily
easily
gradually
inactively
indolently
laggardly
langorously
lethargically
lingeringly
listlessly
slowly
taking one's time
tardily
torpidly
with delay
without haste
Adjective

58. unhurried
easy
relaxed
restful
relaxing
laid-back
slow
gentle
casual
languid
lazy
comfortable
delayed
deliberate
dilatory
free
laggard
lax
slack
slackened

59. slow-moving
unhasty
What is another word for strolled?
What's another word for strolled? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Noun
sauntered
walked
ambled
promenaded
turned
wandered
meandered
rambled
cruised
Verb
walked
ambled
sauntered
promenaded
rambled
wandered
cruised
drifted

60. moped
moseyed
roamed
sashayed
traipsed
tramped
gallivanted
lingered
roved
toddled
What is another word for wanted?
What's another word for wanted? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Adjective
required
sought
sought after
hunted
desired
needed
necessary
requested
asked for
Adjective

61. cherished
appreciated
loved
treasured
valued
What is another word for 'train of thought'?
What's another word for 'train of thought'? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Adjective
lonely
antithesis and synthesis
argumentation
coherence
connexion
connection
course of thought
deduction
deserted
desolate
dialectic
forlorn
godforsaken
good sense

62. induction
inference
linkage
lonesome
philosophy
ratiocination
rationale
relationship
sanity
sense
sound judgment
syllogism
syllogistics
thesis
Noun
mental connection
union
bond
combination
concomitance
concordance
connotation

63. correlation
identification
impression
joining
juxtaposition
linkage
mixing
mixture
pairing
recollection
relation
remembrance
tie
linking
lumping together
Noun
philosophy
rationale
sanity
sense
argumentation
coherence

64. connection
connexion
deduction
dialectic
induction
inference
ratiocination
relationship
syllogism
thesis
antithesis and synthesis
course of thought
good sense
sound judgment
syllogistics
Noun
logic
acumen
analysis
argument
hypothesis
interpretation

65. premise
proposition
thinking
case
cogitation
concluding
corollary
dialectics
exposition
generalization
generalisation
illation
logistics
proof
rationalizing
rationalising
reason
thought
apriority
syllogization
Noun
word association

66. apostrophe
aside
association of ideas
chain of thought
free association
inner monologue
interior monologue
mind mapping
word painting
Noun
rationality
Conjunction
as soon as
the moment
the instant
the minute
the second
Interjection
quickly
chop-chop
Adverb
right away
straightaway
at once
without delay

67. instantly
directly
instantaneously
without further ado
right now
just now
forthwith
promptly
rapidly
shortly
soon
urgently
now
PDQ
anon
at short notice
away
double-time
hereupon
in a New York minute
in a flash

68. in a jiffy
in nothing flat
instanter
like now
now or never
on the dot
on the double
on the spot
pronto
soon afterward
straight away
straight off
summarily
thereupon
this instant
this minute
tout de suite
unhesitatingly
without hesitation
Adverb
closely
nearly

69. proximately
Noun
present moment
hic et nunc
here and now
Adjective
matinal
early
overearly
preexistent
before appointed time
pronto
on short notice
on the dot
unanticipated
oversoon
What is another word for thought?
What's another word for thought? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Noun
consideration
contemplation

70. thinking
deliberation
attention
reflection
meditation
hope
logic
speculation
understanding
anticipation
apprehending
cerebration
cogitation
cognition
concluding
considering
deducing
deduction
deriving
discerning

71. heed
ideation
inducing
inferring
introspection
intuition
judging
knowing
musing
perceiving
rationalization
rationalisation
rationalising
rationalizing
realising
realizing
reasoning
regard
rumination

72. scrutiny
seeing
study
theorization
brainwork
Noun
idea
notion
brain wave
inspiration
concept
belief
theory
opinion
plan
conception
anxiety
assessment
concern
conclusion

73. dream
expectation
feeling
image
intention
judgment
knowledge
prospect
view
worry
aim
appreciation
aspiration
assumption
attentiveness
brainchild
brainstorm
caring
compassion

74. conjecture
conviction
design
drift
estimation
fancy
guess
hypothesis
inference
kindness
object
premise
purpose
reverie
solicitude
supposition
sympathy
Noun
ideas
philosophy

75. notions
accepted wisdom
planning
Adjective
supposed
believed
assumed
alleged
understood
rumoured
rumored
said
held
What is another word for grabbed?
What's another word for grabbed? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Adjective
turned on by
touched
turned on to

76. What’s the other Word for excited?
What's another word for excited? Here's a list of synonyms for this word.
Verb
flare up
boiling over
be maddened
seeing red
stand on end
be angry
bristle
be infuriated
see red
boil over
get one's dander up
Adverb
aflutter
Adjective
happy
eager
enthusiastic
thrilled
animated

77. motivated
inspired; upset
agitated
annoyed
delighted
disturbed
hysterical
nervous
passionate
aroused
awakened
charged
discomposed
disconcerted
inflamed
moved
piqued
provoked
roused

78. ruffled
stimulated
stirred
wired
aflame
beside oneself
feverish
fired up
frantic
high
hot
hot and bothered
hyperactive
in a tizzy
juiced up
jumpy
keyed up
on edge
on fire

79. overwrought
steamed up
tumultous/tumultuous
wild
worked up
zipped up
Adjective
wound up
upset
stirred up
fraught
distracted
anxious
You can write this phrases for rainy days.
1) The sky darkened as clouds gathered in heavy cluster. (Meaning: It is going to
rain.)
2) The sky above was full of tumultuous, dark, ragged clouds. (Meaning: about to rain.)
3) It was a grey afternoon with a dull sky threatening rain. (Meaning: describing the sky
and rain.)
4) It was a grey afternoon with a dull sky threatening rain. (Meaning: the afternoon and
the heavy/rain.)

80. You can also write down the synonyms for sad:
bitter,dismal,heartbroken,melancholy,mournful,
pessimistic,somber,sorrowful,sorry,wistful,bereaved,blue,cheerlesss,dejected,despairin
g,despondent,disconsolate,distressed,doleful,down in dumps, down in mouth,
downcast, forlorn
Act of mischief
Bullying
 Terror gripped his whole being as the bullies approached him with their signature
roguish smirks.
 On hearing the thundering footsteps of approaching menace, the poor boy broke into
a brisk walk.
 The notorious bullies cornered the poor boy at a secluded spot.
 The threatening glares of the bully caused the girl to break out in cold sweat.
 The discipline master unleashed a terse lecture at the bullies' obnoxious behavior.
 With arms crossed in front of his barrel chest, the man demanded in a nasal whine
that belied his built.
 My heartbeat quickened as I stepped foot in the deserted school building, where the
notorious boys are waiting for me.
 The obnoxious bullies sniggered rambunctiously as they leered at the poor boy who
fell victim to their mischief.
Vandalism
 Traces of the misdemeanor were evidently visible in the classroom walls that were
filled with unsightly graffiti.
 The discipline master interrogated the class succinctly in a grave tone but none of the
culprits owned up,
 The two boys were wielding the brushes like swords, slashing them against the
originally white-washed wall.
 Throwing all caution to the wind, the boy started drawing haphazardly across the
walls.
 The mischievous kids began vandalizing the seats on the bus haughtily with
penknives.
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Saturday, June 7, 2014
To whoever that is interested to know..
I wrote this post to clear up some questions and point out some of my thoughts. I created
this blog when I was in Primary 6 ( 12 years old ) because I really adored writing back then
and I thought I might be able to help some people who are looking for phrases in their
essays. I did not expect so many people to actually find this blog helpful and I was '

81. overwhelmed ' by the amount of views I have got. For that I'm really thankful and I'm glad
that I'm able to help many of you.
One thing I want to point out is that these phrases are not perfect. I compiled them from
various notes, newspapers, magazines and books. So I apologise if some of the phrases are
not as descriptive and useful to you. I also apologise for any grammatical errors or typos in
my posts. I'm not an expert at writing essays, in fact, many of my posts are posted long ago
when I was only 12, so I'm sorry if my essays/phrases are not up to standard. I appreciate
constructive feedbacks and comments, but I'm extremely put off by those who commented
rude things in my blog. I'm not a teacher, I'm just a student, I make mistakes too.
Nevertheless, I'm thankful to those who appreciated what I posted. You guys make my day :)
Also, there is another thing I have to apologise for, which is my lack of posts. I know that I
have not posted any new phrases in a very long time and I'm very sorry. I know that many of
you need phrases to aid you in your essays and exams, and I promised before that I will post
more, but I did not. That is my fault, and I hope that that you will forgive me for that. I'm
taking my National exams this year ( O levels ) and the stress is getting to me. I know that
might sound like an excuse but I really am very busy and I barely have time to browse the
web and indulge in my own hobbies. So what I'm going to have to say is that I probably
wouldn't update as much as I should have, until olevels end, which is in....November. I will
still try to insert a few phrases here and then, but please don't expect too much from me.
Alright, this is the end of what I have to say. I wish that this blog really benefited all of you
in some ways and I wish all of you good luck in whatever exams or tests that you're taking :)
Posted by Overwhelmed. at 7:55 PM 45 comments: Links to this post
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Saturday, January 18, 2014
Crime ( theft, burglar, robbery etc. )
PHRASES
 The robbers brandished their weapons and disfigured
he entire luxurious interior of the jewellery shop.
 With a deadly glint in his eye, he motioned the
victims to keep quiet.
 The suspicious looking man drew a menacing knife
from under his cloak, threatening his startled victim.
 The entire bank fell into a nerve-wrecking silence
after the robber fired a series of shots with his gun.
 Bullet whizzed over our heads.

82.  Informations tumbled out of our mouth incoherently
as we reported the crime to the police.
PARAGRAPHS
 The police were in hot pursuit of the fleeing robber.
In his panic, the robber ran helter-skelter as he headed
to the nearest exit. This proved to be a costly mistake
for him as the police officers gave chase like a group of
Olympic athletes. In no time, they had caught up with
him and immediately cornered him to one side.
 The burglar sensed that he was not alone. He spun
around and saw me. He hurriedly put down the vase and
grabbed a nearby baseball bat, lunging at me with it.
Fortunately, I managed to dodge the attack. I let my
heavy haversack which I was carrying off my shoulders
onto my hands I swung it with all my might and slammed
it into the burglar's stomach. He staggered backwards
and collapsed with a loud "thud" in a heap on the floor.
 Out of the blue, I noticed a burly, suspicious
stranger pacing about in remote corner of the shop. At
first, I assumed that he was a little weird so I did not pay
much attention to him, not until a gleaming sharp knife
appeared in his firm hand. I gasped. To my horror, he
slowly advanced towards me, as if he might attempt to
launch his attack at any moment I clutched my chest as a
surge of intense fear engulfed me
 Two masked robbers, armed with daggers, entered
the jewellery shop stealthily in the middle of the night.
Never did they expect that the police had already
surrounded the building. They smashed the glass displays

83. and stuffed the glittering jewellery into a bag Just as
they were about to make their escape, the whole place
was swarmed with policemen. Beads of perspiration
trickled down their foreheads as the panic-stricken
robbers fled.
 Bile rose in the back of my throat as the robber held
me at knife point. My heart thumped furiously against my
ribs and a loud buzzing sound vibrated in my eardrums.
The masked robber smiled with amusement at my
apparent fear.
 The two men wrestled and rolled on the floor
engaged in a precarious struggle. The valiant passer-by
held the robber's hand in a vice-like grip, preventing him
from using the knife. After some twisting, he managed to
unarm the robber.
 As I approached my apartment, I heard sounds
around the corner of my neighbour's apartment. I
proceeded slowly and quietly towards the their
apartment, and was surprised to see the main door ajar.
Wild thoughts raced through my mind. I gingerly swung
open the door and saw that the living room was in
disarray. Drawers were ransacked, furnitures were
toppled over. What confirmed my suspicion was the
sinister looking stranger standing in the middle of the
room.
Posted by Overwhelmed. at 9:53 PM 51 comments:
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Friday, December 27, 2013
:)
Suggestions on what phrases you might want me to contribute?

84. Posted by Overwhelmed. at 9:27 PM 65 comments:
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' Said '
Words to replace ' Said '
Anger
 Fumed
 Roared
 Snarled
 Snapped
 Chided
 Exploded
 Growled
 Retorted
 Bellowed
 Barked
 Yelled
 Snorted
Fear
 Stuttered
 Whimpered
 Gasped
 Implored
 Pleaded
 Stammered
 Whispered
 Screamed
Sadness
 Sobbed
 Moaned
 Lamented
 Wailed
 Cried
 Whined
Excitement
 Exclaimed
 Raved

85.  Ranted
 Screeched
 Shrieked
 Screamed
 Squealed
Command
 Ordered
 Demanded
Posted by Overwhelmed. at 9:16 PM 4 comments:
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Friday, February 8, 2013
Back .
Wow. It had been 3 years since I've updated this blog. To be honest, I've
completely forgotten about the existence of this blog only until like, 5 minutes ago. Aha, my
apologies.
Since I've seen comments requesting me to include more good phrases and paragraphs, I'll
continue to post more, hopefully. I look through my previous posts and realised that there
were many typos. I'm sorry. I'll edit those posts too. (:
Posted by Overwhelmed. at 2:06 AM 25 comments:
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Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sing To The DAWN( Good Phrases)
I like this book and would like to share with you some good phrases and
sentences:
1. It was still dark, but in the wet moonlight outside the window she could still
see shimmer of raindrops on smooth banana leaves.
2. Dawan liked this part of the day the best of all, when the waves of afternight
twined so gently around the slow swirls before-dawn.
3. Somewhere in the distance, the crowing of a rooster drilled through the fluid
stillness.
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Labels: Book
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Blackout and chaos

86. Blackout and chaos
• Without warning, the MRT train jerked to a halt and everything
turned pitch dark. Panic invaded the carriage I was in. Some of the
commuters screamed at the top of their voice and burst into tears.
Fear ripped into my lungs, robbing me off all oxygen. I could hear my
own pulses and my heart palpitating with the chilling fear that was
setting in. The carriage was soon abuzz with nervous chatters and
some lights from mobile phones illuminated the carriage.
• The train came into a sudden halt. The light in the carriage started
flickering and the whole train was engulfed in darkness.
• The train was plunged into total darkness! The train was in total
chaos and fear snaked around my heart as I adjust to the darkness.
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Fire
Fire
• Fire spread itself throughout the whole building like locusts
destroying everything in its path. Everywhere, people were taking off
in all directions with fear visibly etched on their faces. The fire
changed from orange to blue as the temperature rose like the thick
black fumes that were stretching skywards.
• Pandemonium broke out, people dashed off in fear, hoping to escape
from the clutches of the raging fire. The howling wind fed the raging
flames and the fire sang a grim tune triumphantly as it burnt. The
repugnant burning scent filled the air as the ravenous orange flames
swallowed up the building.
• The orange clutches of fire wrapped its fiery fingers around the whole
building, turning the whole building into a gloomy black. The roaring
flame escalated ferociously when aided by the strong winds. The entire
building was transformed into an incinerator with its strong flames,
cremating everything into ashes.

87. • Everything and anything that can be burnt was fried in the fiery
cauldron of yellow flames. Smoke and sparks were whirling in all
direction. The sharp shrill of alarm reverberated through the whole
building.
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Labels: Fire
Car Crash
Car Crash
• The young driver sped recklessly on the highway. The bus zipped
past cars and lorries and was traveling at a speed on 120km/h with 20
passengers on board! Suddenly, the bus veered abruptly to the right
and plunged into a ravine, crashing into a tree.
• The driver’s foot riled the accelerator and pushed the taxi to its limits
precariously. All of a sudden, the car in front of them braked. The
driver slammed his foot down, attempting to salvage the situation with
an emergency brake.
• The tyres blazed the rough cement road as it screeched with a
deafening sound. The car went free-wheeling and turned turtle before
coming to as stop.
• A deafening blast rose into the air. The car had crashed into a tree.
The windscreen shattered into smithereens. Thick layers of burnt dust
puffed out of the rattling engine. Traffic came into an immediate total
standstill.
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Labels: Accident
Chasing after a snatch thief and robbery
Chase
• The thief grabbed my bag and dashed across the road, running like a
mad horse on steroids. I immediately pelted towards the thief before
pouncing on him and giving him my signature punch on his face that
made him cry out in pain.

88. • The security guards gave chase like a group of Olympic athletes. In
no time, they had caught up with the thief and handcuffed him.
• The snatch thief skedaddled away and disappeared round the corner.
Upon seeing that, I immediately gave chase and scooted around the
corner at the speed of the light. Soon, I narrowed the gap between the
thief and me. Taking the opportunity, I sprinted towards him and
threw myself on him.
Robbery
• Armed with rifles, the four masked robbers rushed into the bank and
held up the staff members and the customers at gunpoint.
• “Don’t move!” the robber bellowed. Silence hung in the air as time
stood still. All the customers and staff members raised their trembling
hands and crouched in fear.
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A fight
A Fight
• In mere seconds, punches were thrown. Fists were sent flying. A fight
had erupted! I watched in horror as the two men wrestled each other
to the ground. One of them had already owned a bloody lip.
• Their heated argument turned into violence. The two men exchanged
blows. Bystanders cowered in fear and leapt out of their seats to
escape from any fury that might come from either of the two men.
• Like a relentless murderer, he went head-on with John. John swung
his fists and hit his cheeks. The sudden punch cracked across his
cheeks, bursting the fine blood vessels in his mouth. Instantly, he
could smell blood which was pooling beneath his tongue.
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Labels: A Fight
Wednesday, October 6, 2010

89. Writing a GOOD composition
Writing a GOOD COMPOSITION
Content:
• Answer all “WH” and “H” questions
• Check the time sequence of the story
• Pick the most appropriate introduction
• Include direct speeches
• Make use of five senses
Language:
• Use the correct tenses
• Check your punctuation
• Use similes, idioms, adjectives, proverbs
• Replace words that you use repeatedly in the story
A good composition......
Includes……
• Ideas that is ample, relevant, and fully developed.
• Almost no errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Wide And appropriate use of vocabulary.
• Good paragraphing and content.
• Include:
• What were the characters doing before the scene?
• What was the time of the day?
• Were there any direct speeches?
• Is a sunny or windy day?
• Who were the characters?
• Did you describe their appearances, actions and their facial expressions?
• What was the relationship between the characters?
• Where are the characters?
• Why were the characters there?
• What happened to them?
• Why did this incident happen?
• Are they affected?
• How does the story end?
Posted by Overwhelmed. at 11:58 PM 21 comments: Links to this post
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Model Composition: Fire
Fire
Q: You and your father were at a crowded supermarket. When both of

90. you were queuing to pay for your groceries, you heard the fire alarm
go off.
It was a Saturday morning, April 14th. It is a splendid morning, and
my father and I were planning to go to the nearby supermarket to
buy some ingredients for making a birthday cake for mum’s
birthday. We left the house and ambled along the streets with our
hands in our pocket, thinking about what ingredients we needed for
the cake.
Soon, we reached the supermarket. It was bustling
withenthusiastic housewives, many early birds were hovering
around discounted food items, there were long lines of
queuesyet nobody seemed to mind at all. “And yet I thought we
were early,” I told my dad, who nodded in agreement. My father and
I grabbed a trolley and made a beeline for the bakery ingredient
section. I was already feeling claustrophobic as we attempted to
avoid the busy shoppers, and was relieved when I realized that
section of the supermarket is deserted except for a few wandering
shoppers who seem to had lost their way in this gigantic building.
Rows and rows of different brands of sugar and flour seem to be
greeting us. My father and I were flabbergasted by the selections of
choices. When we reached the end of the aisle, we saw a young
boy not more than 5 years old playing with a few matchsticks. Dark
circles formed a circumference round his eyes and added the years
onto his boyish face, he was decked in a yellow t-shirt and brown
jeans. His parents are nowhere to be seen.
“Young boy, you should not play with fire matches, it is very
dangerous as there are many goods here that can easily catch fire,”
my father warned him out of good intentions. The young boy
mumbled a ‘yes’ and scurried away to another side of the
supermarket. “Nowadays, children do not understand the
consequences of their actions, parents should have done their part
and taught them well,” my father sighed, shaking his head.
After a long time pondering on which ingredients we should buy, we
immediately hurried to the line of queues to pay for our groceries,
afraid that we would not be able to finish baking the cake in time

91. before mum comes back from work.“DING……!” The sharp shrill
of fire alarm reverberated through the entire supermarket building.
Many people let out bloodcurdling screams and for me, I was so
petrified that my hair stood on end, all traces of lethargy
disappeared. Out of nowhere, someone grabbed my hand, and it
took a moment for me to realize it was my father.
Together, we dashed out of the supermarket’s exit. When we got out
of the supermarket, I got the greatest shock of my life. Fire had
spread itself throughout the whole building like locusts destroying
everything in its path, everything and anything that could be
burned was fried in the fiery cauldron of yellow flames. The fire
sang a grim tune triumphantly as it burnt. The entire supermarket
was covered in a thick gloomy blanket of smoke. Sparks and flying
splinters hit us. I could feel my own pulses and my heart
palpitating as the orange clutches of fire wrapped its fiery fingers
around the whole supermarket building. There is a thick repugnant
scent as we waved away the smoke as best as we could and looked
in the building with our hearts in our mouths.
I looked around, in the midst of panic, nobody seemed to have
called the fire brigade, so I fished out my hand phone and dialed
the fire department. Meanwhile, the roaring flames escalated
ferociously when aided by strong winds.
Fortunately, the wails of sirens of the fire engine could be heard.
Within minutes, the policemen also arrived, followed by paramedics.
We were quickly ushered down to a safer place but also with a good
view of the fire where more paramedics arrived to check on us to
see if we had suffered any ill effects of smoke inhalations.
Meanwhile, the firemen battle the blaze heroically.
After about ten minutes, the fire had ceased. Even though debris
and rubble were what was left of the supermarket and the furniture
store, my father and I were glad that no one had lost their life
during this fire!
In the end, our groceries were all burnt and hence, my father
and I went to a bakery shop and bought a cake instead to celebrate
mum’s birthday. When I told mum about the fire, she even praised
me for calling the fire department!
The next day, I read the newspaper and found out that the young
boy with the brown jeans playing with the matches was the culprit.

92. He had accidentally dropped the matches on some goods and the
fire had spread throughout the entire supermarket building. When
my father saw the newspaper, he spouted some words which would
be etched in my mind forever. “Son, you must learn never to play
with fire, it will not do you good.”
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Labels: Fire
How to express feelings......
How to express feelings?
How do you describe a person who is angry?
• He turned red with fury.
• Her face was contorted with rage and fury.
• Jimmy was so angry that his blood boiled.
• Lara’s voice crackled with anger.
• An angry frown creased her forehead.
• A wave of futile rage swept over him.
• Venom spewed from his lips as he cursed belligerently.
• •She was like a bull in a china shop.
• Seething with anger, she approached Ben menacingly.
• Her eyes flashed with anger and resentment.
• His anger turned into violence.
How do you describe a person who is sad?
• Tears welled up in his eyes and began rolling down her cheeks like
rivulets.

93. • No one could express his agony.
• She was on the brink of tears.
• He felt the whole world collapsing upon him.
• Dark clouds seemed to constantly loom over her head.
• She felt as if her heart had been ripped from her body.
• He cried his heart out on hearing the tragic news.
• She fell to her knees, clutching her head in despair.
• He felt the whole weight of the world upon her shoulders.
• His eyes were puffy and red after all the crying.
•
How do you describe a person who is shock/frightened?
• Panic started to engulf Timmy.
• The cold black night pierced his very bones.
• Terror seized us all.
• Paralyzed with fear, he could not command his legs to run.
• The shock robbed him of speech.
• The blood drained from his face when he heard the tragic news.
• A chill ran down his spine.
• His hair stood on ends as a cry rang high into the night.
• She screamed her head off when she saw the corpse.
• Overcome with fright, she lost her balance and fell down in a swoon.
• She stood rooted to the ground.
• A haze of fear surrounded her.
• He stood motionless with horror.
• Frightening thoughts race through her mind.
• She felt a wave of fear rush through her.
• He stood stunned and speechless by his sudden rebuke.
• •She was at loss for words.
• They huddled together and stared apprehensively into the darkness.

94. How do you describe a person who is happy?
• He was over the moon when he heard the good news.
• She was floating on air when her teacher praised her.
• She could hardly contain her joy.
• Her eyes glittered with tears of joy.
• It seemed as if a smile was plastered on her face.
• They were saturated with happiness.
• She felt as if the whole world was on her side.
• He nearly fell over in elation after learning that he had won the prize.
• Her bright smile was infectious, lighting up the room.
• Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks.
GOOD PHRASES THAT DESCRIBE EMOTIONS
Fear Happy Angry Sad
...frozen with terror... ...he was ecstaticover.......furious over/with... ...felt wretched with grief......a shiver ran down her
spine......was over the moon... ...fuming mad... ...felt gloomy......was horrified by ... ...jumping with joy... ...he saw red... ...filled wit
h misery......felt a sense of dread......head was dizzy with delight......mind was engulfed by rage......broke down into tears......all
hairs on her body stood on their ends......elated to ... ...boiling mad... ...was heart-rending to see her......could feel the
impending danger......in high spirits... ...livid with rage... ...gloomy anddepressed......trembling with fear...
Shock Embarrassment Tired Hungry
...was surprised to... ...face turned beet red with......worn out with fatigue......ravenous
for......amazed to find... ...dig herself a hole and hide......could not muster up a single ounce of strength any more......feel the
stomach twisting and turning
inagony......unexpected... ...mortified to see... ...dog tired... ...stomach growling......astounded... ...could not bring herself to meet
his eyes......limbs felt as if they were chained to iron shackles......as hungry as a
wolf......famished......flabbergasted... ..ashamed... ...dragging himself on limply......wolfed down his
food......was astonished... ...feel herself shrivel up into a dried prune......his body felt as if it was made of lead......stomach was
begging for food...
Nervous/Excitement Pain Pride Temptation
...hands felt clammy... ...writhing in agony... ...sense of pleasure... ...could not resist......butterflies in the stomach...... knife was
pierced through the heart......surge of pride well up......felt as if he was being pulled over by an invisible thread......tingling
with anxiety/excitement......stabbed forcefully with a blunt knife......chest stuck out proudly......unconsciously gravitating
towards......could hear his heart throbbing loudly......keel over in gut wrenching pain......conceited... ...irresistible......swallowed
down a gulp and......filled with agony... ...as proud as a peacock......helplessly drawn into/towards......jittery... ...sharp pain sear
through...
Envy
...beads of cold sweat were dripping down......felt the pain shoot right to his head......green with envy......pumping with
adrenaline......the pain was excruciating......felt a pang of jealousy...
Phrases to start a compo
1. Magnolia white clouds dotted the azure blue sky. The soft, dappled light of the morning sun
filtered through the leaves of the majestic, towering trees as the distinctive scent from a myriad
of flowers perfumed the air. Brown sparrows and smoky grey pigeons huddled in groups, while
brightly hued butterflies flitted around the leafy shrubs that lined the winding paths.

95. 2. Magnolia white clouds drifted across the clear blue sky
3. The sun beamed its glorious rays upon the world.
4. The sun shone brilliantly in the vast blue sky.
ANGER
• He turned red with fury.
• Her face was contorted with rage and fury.
• Jimmy was so angry that his blood boiled.
• Lara’s voice crackled with anger.
• An angry frown creased her forehead.
• A wave of futile rage swept over him.
• Venom spewed from his lips as he cursed belligerently.
• •She was like a bull in a china shop.
• Seething with anger, she approached Ben menacingly.
• Her eyes flashed with anger and resentment.
• His anger turned into violence.
1) He muttered furiously under his breath.
2) Her eyes glared at him in ruthless impersonality.
3) His resentment blinded his logic.
4) He was outraged.
5) He was infuriated with his son for not telling the truth.
6) She blew her top when she could not get her way.
7) There was fury in his eyes.
8) The little boy put a lot of anger into the blow, knocking the bully over.
9) She seethed with indignation.
10) A wave of rage swept over him.
11) It caused an enormous furore.
12) He was livid when he realized that his car was scratched.
13) He did his best to mask his anger but…
14) She was so angry that she hurled curses at her rival.
15) His anger was formidable.
16) One could see a flicker of anger that crossed her face.
17) She flounced out of the room when her boss ridiculed her ideas.
18) She was just too upset to even bother about how others thought about her. Unanswered questions burned
endlessly in her brain; her inner voice was screaming in silent anguish and betrayal as she sank into the shadowed
corner of the restroom, holding her head in her hands whilst the tears kept flowing.
19) Tom turned red with fury.
20) Peter was boiling with rage
21) He stamped his foot in anger.
22) Sally gritted her teeth in anger.
23) They were too angry for words.
24) Her voice crackled with anger.
25) Jake stormed off towards the exit.
26) His anger turned into violence.
27) He drew in his breath with a long hiss.
28) He was like a bull in a china shop.
29) A wave of futile rage swept over him.
30) An angry frown creased her forehead.
31) I could see her eyes glowing in fury.
32) He was so angry that his blood boiled.
33) She stormed out of the room in anger.
34) His fist came down on the table with a loud bang.
35) In a fit of anger, he stabbed her to death.
36) His eyes flashed with anger and resentment.
37) His face was contorted with rage and fury.

96. 38) He clenched his fist and shook with fury.
39) He was fuming but he contained his anger.
40) Seething with anger, he approached me menacingly.
41) In a blind fury, he smashed the chair against the television set.
42) With hands trembling from anger, the man slapped the boy hard.
43) She was hopping mad when she heard the slanderous accusations.
44) His hands were shaking uncontrollably and his face turned an ominous red.
45) His face had turned to the colour of molten lava and his eyes flashed bolts of lightning.
46) She stared with eyes filled with anger and hatred that were beyond description
47) Father flew into a rage when I told him I had lost the valuable watch he bought for me.
48) My sister and I had a heated argument over the new dress we were supposed to share.
49) I was shocked at the string of abusive words that came out from her mouth when we quarrelled.
50) Ahmad lost his temper and slapped his brother. In the next moment, fists were flying, as they exchanged blows.
51) Mary was as angry as a bull that saw red when she realised that she had been conned by the quick-witted
salesman.
52) After hearing that John had betrayed him, Ali went for his blood.
53) He clenched his fists in anger.
54) Flying into a rage, he slapped his sister’s face for ruining the things he loved most.
55) As Jim was naughty, Mrs Lim scolded him in a thunderous voice.
SADNESS
• Tears welled up in his eyes and began rolling down her cheeks like rivulets.
• No one could express his agony.
• She was on the brink of tears.
• He felt the whole world collapsing upon him.
• Dark clouds seemed to constantly loom over her head.
• She felt as if her heart had been ripped from her body.
• He cried his heart out on hearing the tragic news.
• She fell to her knees, clutching her head in despair.
• He felt the whole weight of the world upon her shoulders.
• His eyes were puffy and red after all the crying.
1) Tears trickled down my face.
2) His face was grave, abstracted, almost could have fancied sad.
3) My heart was in my mouth, and the dread I felt was palpable.
4) He was disconsolate and without hope because of the loss of his mother.
5) “Will you miss me?” I asked with a tinge of sadness.
6) He sauntered into the class gloomily.
7) Her eyes were puffy with a trace of wetness around the lids.
8) Jane blinked back tears that threatened to overcome her.
9) The great pain and sorrow totally shattered her.
10) The sorrow seemed to diminish everyone physically.
11) She committed suicide during a fit of depression.
12) The news cast a gloom over the entire family.
13) He was overcome by melancholy when his mate died. He has been moping about the around the house ever
since.
14) He was in low spirits because he was accused of cheating.
15) She composed herself and wiped the tears away.
16) Her throat was too raw with pain for her to speak.
17) He waited forlornly outside the house, despite the pouring rain.
18) Nothing we did could lift him out of his state of deep gloom.
19) When he left, she sank into melancholy.
20) “He’s left me,” she revealed in a small, stricken voice.
21) He was extremely distressed by the bad news.
22) My heart sank. A sudden loss came over me.
23) Her lips moved desolately in prayer, imploring the gods to have mercy on her.
24) He sat there in mute misery, his face in his hands.
25) When he left, she sank into melancholy
26) She buried her face in her hands and sobbed quietly, unable to hold in the great tide of emotions.
27) Her emotions hit her like a bullet through her chest.
28) I was homesick and dismayed by the dismal weather in London.
29) Her eyes turned watery and red as the hurtful moments were brought back to mind again.

97. 30) Tears streamed down her face as she walked out of the coffee club with her hand still clutching on to the
pendant.
31) Sue broke into tears.
32) A dark mood came over Jane.
33) She was on the verge of tears.
34) Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.
35) No words could express his agony.
36) Tears welled up in Nancy’s eyes.
37) The poor child sobbed sorrowfully.
38) With a heavy heart, he left the hospital.
39) My heart sank when I heard the sad news.
40) Her eyes were puffy and red after all the crying.
41) She cried her heart out on hearing the tragic news.
42) The frightened child was on the brink of tears.
43) They were sobbing their hearts out when they heard of their father’s sudden death.
44) Mrs Lee was so overcome with grief that she fainted a few times at her husband’s funeral
45) My heart sank when my teacher told me that I had failed the examination.
46) The little girl burst into tears when she could not find her mother.
47) The little girl was close to tears when her mother left her in the care of the new maid.
48) She was so upset that she could not stop her tears from streaming down her cheeks.
49) A tingle of sorrow swept over me.
51) With tears in my eyes, a quaver in my throat, tears streamed down my cheeks onto the ground.
52) Grief, remorse and depression covered me like a thick choking blanket.
53) Tears of sorrow rolled down my cheeks when I heard the heart-breaking news.
54) He howled dismally when his dog died
55) After being wrongly accused by his best friend, he felt down in the dumps.
56) Kevin felt utterly miserable when Julia called off the wedding.
57) His heart overflowed with sadness when he lost the race.
58) Feeling blue, he went for a holiday to forget all his sorrow.
59) She felt very wretched after being slapped and locked up by her husband.
60) He told his cousins all his woes when they visited him.
61) He was so sad that he tried to drown his sorrows by going out to drink.
62) With tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks,
63) My father felt demoralised because he failed his driving test again.
64) The widow laments grievously at the death of her husband.
1) No words could express the secret agony of my soul.
2) On hearing the terrible news, we were too numb to even cry.
3) She looked up at me with an inconsolable face.
4) Overcome by grief, the mother fainted when she saw her son’s body in the mortuary.
5) The wife was hysterical with grief when told of her husband’s death.
6) He would not show his grief but only stared glumly ahead.
7) Tears formed in my eyes. How my heart ached. I was crushed I could hardly breathe. My lungs burned as I tried
desperately to cry and breathe normally.
8) My heart shattered. My thoughts whirled and I cried as hard as I could but it didn’t help.
9) I was so overcome with grief that there were times when my tears actually flowed down without my noticing it.
10) The nights grew lonely; darkness seemed to suck the day dry of its essence.
REGRET/GUILT
1) He lived a life of self-condemnation ever since he lost his child.
2) He was guilt-ridden for not lending a helping hand to his friend.
3) He reproached himself for scolding the person he loves.
4) Feeling reprehensible for the tragedy, he vowed never to drive again.
5) He felt rather contrite for having deceived his friends.
6) It was an agonizing feeling of shame and guilt.
7) Feeling remorseful for the accident that happened, he kneeled down in front of the victim’s family to beg
forgiveness.
8) All these years, the old man had carried his guilt like a gestating foetus in his mind.
9) Regret rushed through her veins, for her harsh words.
10) An unexpected wave of guilt swept over Jessica and she quickly suppressed it as soon as it came.

98. SHOCKED/FEAR/PANIC/ANXIOUS
• Panic started to engulf Timmy.
• The cold black night pierced his very bones.
• Terror seized us all.
• Paralyzed with fear, he could not command his legs to run.
• The shock robbed him of speech.
• The blood drained from his face when he heard the tragic news.
• A chill ran down his spine.
• His hair stood on ends as a cry rang high into the night.
• She screamed her head off when she saw the corpse.
• Overcome with fright, she lost her balance and fell down in a swoon.
• She stood rooted to the ground.
• A haze of fear surrounded her.
• He stood motionless with horror.
• Frightening thoughts race through her mind.
• She felt a wave of fear rush through her.
• He stood stunned and speechless by his sudden rebuke.
•She was at loss for words.
4) He froze for a few seconds.
5) I rose shakily to my feet.
6) A rude shock awaited them.
7) A chill went down her spine.
8) The sight of the ghost sent shudders down her spine.
9) A loud voice boomed, sending shivers down her spine.
10) I was powerless and frantic with terror.
14) His face turned pale and his skin felt cold and clammy.
16) She experienced a feeling of weakness before blacking out.
19) I was too afraid to utter a word.
21) The timid girl shrank back in fear.
23) She was panic-stricken when she realised she was trapped.
24) Frightened thoughts raced through his mind
25) They fled in panic when they saw the charging dog.
26) Our hair stood on end as a cry rang shrilly in the night.
27) Fighting back tears of fear, he stared motionless at the approaching danger.
28) With his sense of direction gone, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
30) The frightened child was screaming incoherently.
31) I woke sobbing, drenched in sweat and paralysed with fear.
32) I was roused by a sound which brought my heart to my mouth.
34) Terror gripped his whole being and perspiration started dripping from his forehead.
35) A chill ran swiftly up his back, causing the nape of his neck to tingle.
36) I was sick to my stomach at the horrendous sight.
37) Suddenly, he heard his children’s shouts from the garden, shrill with excitement.
38) Back in the room, Tom was simply quivering all over with excitement.
39) The crowd let out a stupendous cheer as the team scored a home goal.
40) Their pulses raced as they neared their final goal.
41) Henry’s skin tingled with excitement as he watched the hair-raising race.
42) They stared at him in blank amazement.
43) She rummaged frantically in her handbag for the revolver.
44) Ali crouched at the corner, shuddering in fear that the gangster might harm him.
45) Cold fear gripped me as I began to imagine all sorts of things that could happen to me in the haunted house.
46) I was about to turn the key when I heard something. I held my breath and put my ear against the door.
47) Susan returned home and told her mother in a shaky tone that she had been robbed in the lift.
48) Tom turned as white as a sheet when he was caught red-handed stealing Ali’s wallet.
49) I was shocked when my brother got home with a bloodstained face, and bruises all over his arms and legs.
50) He was scared stiff when he saw the ghost.
51) The screams of terror gave way to dead silence in the haunted house.
53) Nervously, I opened the door and slowly tiptoed towards him.
54) My voice quivering, I felt goose pimples all over my body.
55) Trembling with fear, I handed them the keys
56) The piece of news hit us like a bombshell.
57) We were too dumbfounded for words

99. 58) There was a lump in my throat when I saw the shadow.
59) Cold sweat trickled down my forehead when I woke up from a nightmare.
60) I tried to walk at a faster pace but my knees turned to jelly and I felt sick.
61) The boy tried to stifle his scream but was unsuccessful. He was caught!
62) My scream echoed eerily throughout the graveyard. I was paralysed with fear.
63) He was speechless with fright when he saw the ghost.
64) His heart pounded in his chest as he walked into the old mansion
65) I jumped with a start when I heard the noise.
66) The eerie room made my blood run cold
67) All the windows were closed and the figure looked dark and menacing.
68) It missed me by a few centimetres but it scared the life out of me.
69) Fear gripped me and I dared not move.
70) All sorts of frightening things crossed my mind.
71) My legs were heavy and frightening thoughts flooded my mind.
72) My heart throbbed with fear at what I had seen.
73) His senses were numbed when the crooks pointed a gun at him.
74) My bones were jittering and my heart leapt to my throat.
75) The killer was very instinctive, even his footsteps echoed danger.
76) His unearthly and awesome appearance struck terror in all.
77) He gave a blood-curdling scream when a vampire appeared in his room.
78) We trembled when John did death-defying stunts on the ledge of his tenth storey apartment.
79) This place gives me the creeps
80) I felt my blood chill in my veins.
81) For the first time I felt a sense of panic. “Oh my god!” I cried in disbelief.
82) With a heart thumping fiercely against her chest, she entered the wedding scene, cringing slightly at the bright
shimmering lights.
83) Instead of Tom was lost, and he could find his mummy and daddy.
84) Tom stopped suddenly, as an ominous realization hit him to the point of crying. He looked around, looking for the
two familiar faces that guarded him for as long as he could remember. Tom began calling out their names: Mummy,
and Daddy.
85) No response came. Fear started to burn his heart and spread throughout his body like wildfire. Tom went to the
corner and slumped down, unconscious of the tears that stained his cheeks. His cries of childish terror filled the
corridor. He was lost.
86) A horrific sight greeted me.
87) She blinked her long-lashed eyes disbelief and gave a small gasp.
88) Extremely puzzled and agitated by the strange happenings, angela felt rather disturbed and upset.
HAPPY
• He was over the moon when he heard the good news.
• She was floating on air when her teacher praised her.
• She could hardly contain her joy.
• Her eyes glittered with tears of joy.
• It seemed as if a smile was plastered on her face.
• They were saturated with happiness.
• She felt as if the whole world was on her side.
• He nearly fell over in elation after learning that he had won the prize.
• Her bright smile was infectious, lighting up the room.
• Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks.
a) Heart skipped a beat
b) Heart was thumping wildly
c) Heart almost burst with happiness
d) Heart swelled with happiness
e) Jumped for joy
f) Shining eyes
g) Tears of joy welled up in her eyes
h) Her eyes lit up with joy
i) Her eyes sparkled with happiness
j) Shrieked with excitement
k) Mouth curled into a pleasant smile
l) I yelled a shout of joy as my prayers has been answered.

100. m) His eyes turned red and watery as he held her by her hand. A tear of great happiness and comfort trickled down
his cheeks till it was dangling on his chin.
n) The delight on her face was mixed with surprise.
o) The old friends kept up a flow of happy chatter over afternoon tea.
p) They were in high spirits as they traveled, singing songs and telling jokes.
WONDERMENT
a) Spellbound
b) Astonished
c) Astounded
d) Amazed
e) Awe-struck
f) Fascinated
g) Impressed
h) Dumbfounded
i) Flabbergasted
j) Bewildered
k) Dazzled
GOOD WEATHER
1) The sun shone brilliantly and the water in the pond glittered invitingly.
2) The sun filtered through the clouds, signalling the end of the rain.
3) A golden glow spread across the sky as the sun chased the dark clouds away.
4) The whole landscape was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun.
5) Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze in the warm tropical sunshine.
6) Fresh air filled my lungs and I felt refreshed and exhilarated.
7) The breathtaking scenery captivated everyone.
8) The pond was bathed in a golden hue by the gentle sunlight and the water was as clear as crystal.
9) The sunlit clouds drifted across a clear blue sky.
10) The sun rose in a pool of crimson and gold, spilling light all over the land and the white clouds.
11) As the sun set, the few thin strips of clouds on the horizon turned shimmering gold.
12) It as a lovely walk, with the sun setting behind the mountain in a sea of liquid gold.
13) The sunset was glorious, all rosy and salmon pink.
14) The sky was filled with crimson and amber-tinted clouds.
15) It dawned bright and sunny, with a sky that was a deep blue, flecked with tiny white clouds.
16) The sun put its warm fingers into his tent opening and he felt the warmth on his sleeping bag.
BAD WEATHER
1) The sky above was full of tumultuous, dark and ragged clouds.
2) It was a cold grey afternoon with a dull sky and threatening rain.
3) Ominous black clouds covered the sky and released a sudden shower
4) Thunder rolled in from the west and rain began to fall.
5) The dark clouds grew ominous
6) Lightning and thunder raged with fury
7) The morning was cold and wet with a brisk wind sweeping the rain across the land.
8) A flash of forked lightning and a great clap of thunder came close upon each other.
9) Thunder roared and lightning flashed across the sky.
10) The howling of the wind frightened us all.
11) The wind was howling and soon there was a heavy downpour.
12) A curtain of rain beat down from the heavens.
13) Rain pelted down from skies.
14) The sky was most threatening. In no time, it was raining cats and dogs.
15) As I had neither a raincoat nor an umbrella, I was soon drenched to the skin.
16) The sky turned into a hideous grey as lightning struck and thunder rumbled.
17) It was raining cats and dogs.
18) He was soaked to the skin when he came back from the heavy downpour.
TO DESCRIBE SETTING

101. a) The afternoon sun was glaring. The sky was clear, revealing a wide vast of pale blue.
b) She strolled to the back of the house by herself, and she saw the most beautiful backdrop. Trees were everywhere
and sunlight was trying its best to penetrate the thick lush greenery. Right at the very middle of the trees was a small
lake. Danielle leaned against the fence and admired the scene before her with awe.
c) It was a chilly night. The moon had appeared out of the horizon and the skies were filled with stars.
e) Lightning streaked across the sky, sending umbrella-toting people scampering to their homes.
d) My feet sunk into the sand as I walked along the shore. The familiar smell of salt water filled my nostrils. The
weather was fine, and there were a couple of people around. I staggered to one of the remote corners of the beach.
The seagulls screamed past me as I walked towards them. I picked a button-shaped pebble and tossed it into the
water, creating a disturbance in the calm water. I looked up in the sky and then back down onto the sand. I shut my
eyes tightly, but could not control my tears. They trickled down my cheeks. I felt that my life was meaningless.
e) The wonderful sunset at the horizon, the chilling sea breeze and the wonderful melodic sounds of the splashing
waves as the tide started to climb in.

102. Words to replace "Said"
Anger Fear Sad Excited
Roared
Fumed
Snarled
Snapped
Chided
Exploded
Growled
Retorted
Bellowed
Barked
Yelled
Snorted
Shouted
Stuttered
Gasped
Implored
Pleaded
Whimpered
Stammered
Whispered
Sobbed
Moaned
Cried
Lamented
Wailed
Whined
Exclaimed
Raved
Ranted
Screeched
Shouted
Shrieked
Screamed
Squealed
DESCRIBING PEOPLE
Face and Head Nose Hair
Pale-looking Long sharp nose With lovely curls
Freckled cheeks Hooked nose Wavy hair
Square jaws snub nose Neatly combed
Pimply face enormous nose Plaited
Sun-tanned skin Eyes / Eyebrows Unkempt hair
Sunken cheeks Bright sparkling eyes Hair in a tangled mess
Wizened (old, shrunken and
wrinkled with age)
Eyes twinkling with mischief Long, soft and silky hair
Full of pockmarks Bloodshot eyes Hair sticking out
A fair/dark/ swallow
complexion
Small, beady eyes looking sly Shoulders
Voice Dull, expressionless eyes Broad muscular shoulders
A screeching voice Eyes as red as burning coals Narrow and sloping
shoulders
Loud and dictatorial Squinty eyes
Deep, authoritative voice Almond- shaped eyes
Dry and caustic Eyes that slant upwards
Tremulous Puffy eyes, Bulging eyes, small
piggy eyes
VOCABULARY TO DESCRIBE CHARACTER OF PEOPLE

103. EXAMPLES OF SOME COMPO TOPICS
Blackout and chaos -
Without warning, the MRT train jerked to a halt and everything turned pitch dark. Panic invaded the carriage I was in.
Some of the commuters screamed at the top of their voice and burst into tears. Fear ripped into my lungs, robbing me
off all oxygen. I could hear my own pulses and my heart palpitating with the chilling fear that was setting in. The
carriage was soon abuzz with nervous chatters and some lights from mobile phones illuminated the carriage.
• The train came into a sudden halt. The light in the carriage started flickering and the whole train was engulfed in
darkness.
• The train was plunged into total darkness! The train was in total chaos and fear snaked around my heart as I adjust
to the darkness.
Fire –
• Fire spread itself throughout the whole building like locusts destroying everything in its path. Everywhere, people
were taking off in all directions with fear visibly etched on their faces. The fire changed from orange to blue as the
temperature rose like the thick black fumes that were stretching skywards.
• Pandemonium broke out, people dashed off in fear, hoping to escape from the clutches of the raging fire. The
howling wind fed the raging flames and the fire sang a grim tune triumphantly as it burnt. The repugnant burning
scent filled the air as the ravenous orange flames swallowed up the bui9lding.
• The orange clutches of fire wrapped its fiery fingers around the whole building, turning the whole building into a
gloomy black. The roaring flame escalated ferociously when aided by the strong winds. The entire building was
transformed into an incinerator with its strong flames, cremating everything into ashes.
• Everything and anything that can be burnt was fried in the fiery cauldron of yellow flames. Smoke and sparks were
whirling in all direction. The sharp shrill of alarm reverberated through the whole building.
1) The car burst into flames after colliding with a stationary lorry.
2) Within seconds, the room was engulfed in flames.
3) A minute later, a loud explosion rocked the building.
4) Screaming in pain, the occupants of the burning house came staggering out into the streets.
5) Screams and loud cries pierced the air.
6) Flames swept over them.
7) Everybody was fleeing frantically.
8) Panic-stricken occupants rushed out of the burning houses.

104. 9) Horrible screams filled the air.
10) Cloaked in a wet blanket, I crouched as low as I could to avoid the toxic smoke.
11) The scene was chaotic.
12) The wail of the fire engine siren could be heard.
13) There was not a moment to lose. The firemen started putting out the fire as soon as they arrived.
14) Smoke and sparks were whirling in all directions.
15) Thick smoke filled the air, shrouding the surroundings in total darkness.
16) Columns of smoke were seen streaming out of the burning building.
17) Many corpses were charred beyond recognition.
18) I looked up and saw the whole sky blazing red because of the fire.
19) As the house burned, tongues of flames leapt into the dark sky.
20) It took the firemen two hours to put the fire completely under control.
Car Crash –
• The young driver sped recklessly on the highway. The bus zipped past cars and lorries and was traveling at a speed
on 120km/h with 20 passengers on board! Suddenly, the bus veered abruptly to the right and plunged into a ravine,
crashing into a tree.
• The driver’s foot riled the accelerator and pushed the taxi to its limits precariously. All of a sudden, the car in front of
them braked. The driver slammed his foot down, attempting to salvage the situation with an emergency brake.
• The tyres blazed the rough cement road as it screeched with a deafening sound. The car went free-wheeling and
turned turtle before coming to as stop.
• A deafening blast rose into the air. The car had crashed into a tree. The windscreen shattered into smithereens.
Thick layers of burnt dust puffed out of the rattling engine. Traffic came into an immediate total standstill.
1) Puddles of water were everywhere, making the road slippery and dangerous.
2) The car was going at full speed.
3) The short-lived laughter turned into screams of horror when they saw a car coming straight at them.
4) The car was speeding down the road.
5) The reckless driver swerved from left to right, overtaking many vehicles.
6) He did not abide by the traffic rules.
7) The boy dashed across the road.
8) The driver tried to swerve to the right but he was too late.
9) I heard the screeching of the brakes.
10) The two cars collided with a deafening crash
11) With a deafening crash, the car slammed into a tree.
12) The car skidded and crashed through the railings.
13) The car was a total wreck.
14) The pedestrian was knocked down and became unconscious.
15) The victim lay in a pool of blood, groaning in pain.
16) The driver was bleeding profusely.
17) Patches of blood were splattered on the ground.
18) The front seat was splattered with blood.
19) The passengers were severely injured.
20) The victim was mutilated beyond recognition.
21) The wreckage burst into flames.
22) The traffic slowed down and motorists craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the accident.
23) There was a traffic jam. The vehicles were moving along bumper to bumper.
24) Some people simply stood there and shook their heads in disbelief.
25) An ambulance was summoned.
26) The accident victim was bleeding profusely.
27) In order to avoid a collision with an oncoming lorry, Father quickly swerved his car to the right. The old wagon ran
a little way and crashed into the buffers of another.
Chasing after a Thief
• The thief grabbed my bag and dashed across the road, running like a mad horse on steroids. I immediately pelted
towards the thief before pouncing on him and giving him my signature punch on his face that made him cry out in
pain.
• The security guards gave chase like a group of Olympic athletes. In no time, they had caught up with the thief and

105. handcuffed him.
• The snatch thief skedaddled away and disappeared round the corner. Upon seeing that, I immediately gave chase
and scooted around the corner at the speed of the light. Soon, I narrowed the gap between the thief and me. Taking
the opportunity, I sprinted towards him and threw myself on him.
Robbery –
• Armed with rifles, the four masked robbers rushed into the bank and held up the staff members and the customers
at gunpoint.
• “Don’t move!” the robber bellowed. Silence hung in the air as time stood still. All the customers and staff members
raised their trembling hands and crouched in fear.
Fight –
• In mere seconds, punches were thrown. Fists were sent flying. A fight had erupted! I watched in horror as the two
men wrestled each other to the ground. One of them had already owned a bloody lip.
• Their heated argument turned into violence. The two men exchanged blows. Bystanders cowered in fear and leapt
out of their seats to escape from any fury that might come from either of the two men.
• Like a relentless murderer, he went head-on with John. John swung his fists and hit his cheeks. The sudden punch
cracked across his cheeks, bursting the fine blood vessels in his mouth. Instantly, he could smell blood which was
pooling beneath his tongue.
Good Phrases and Words.
Here is a list of Good words and Phrases for your composition!
Have Fun writing!
WEATHER
1. The dark, gloomy sky cried with rain.
2. Rain was pouring down in torrents.
3. It is now raining cats and dogs. We have to stay indoors.
4. A streak of lightning lit up the gloomy sky.
5. The sky was overcast and threatened to rain at any moment.

106. 6. The sun peeped out of the clouds - hurray, we can go out to play soon!
7. It was a bright and sunny day. Not a single cloud was in sight!
Places
1. The sky lit up with bright colours as the fireworks shot up in the night sky.
2. The house was in bad shape and needed repairs.
3. I always had good memories of the fun we had on the beach
4. I will never forget the day he gently held my hand
5. Singapore is a truly clean and green city with lots of excitement waiting to happen.
6. The streets are lined with excited children, waiting eagerly for the floats to arrive.
7. In the dead of the night, you could hear crickets from far away.
People
1. She was a tall, slim lady with a broad smile on her face.
2. The stocky boy was munching away at his pizza.
3. The well-dressed teacher stood a head taller that all the other students.
4. She was indeed a very pretty lady, and he was 'Prince Charming' !
5. A tall, well built man stood at the entrance of the ancient building.
6. My father is a bespectacled man.
7. He listened attentively to the principal.
8. He wore a pair of worn-out shoes.
9. That man was plastered in tattoos.
10. They both had similar tattoos of a red serpent.
11. His shirt was tattered and torn.
12. My best friend is a caring and thoughtful person, always ready with a smile.
13. Mrs Tan, my sixty-year old neighbour stood in front of me, looking dishevelled.
14. She was not her usual impeccable self.
15. Her usual bright eyes were dilated and her hands were trembling.