Useful vocab for composition writing

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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"

Describing People