Feelings and Emotions in English
Do more with this exercise
Learn 26 words and phrases to say how you feel: happy, sad, angry, tired, worried, excited and more. Read each word and its example, then do the exercises. Remember: use -ed words for people (I'm bored) and -ing words for things (the film is boring).
Good feelings
happy
My sister is happy because she has got a new bike.
excitedvery happy about something good soon
We're excited about our trip to the beach.
proudhappy about something good that you or your family did
My parents are proud of me.
relaxedcalm and not worried
I'm more relaxed on Sundays than on Mondays.
calmquiet, not angry and not worried
Please stay calm. Everything is OK.
surprisedyou did not know about it before
She was surprised because the test was easy.
Bad feelings
sad
He is sad because his best friend is not here.
angry
My brother is angry because I'm using his phone.
worriedyou think something bad can happen
I'm worried about my English test.
scaredafraid, you feel fear
I'm scared of big dogs.
nervousa little afraid before something important
I'm always nervous before a test.
lonelysad because you are alone
My grandfather is lonely because he lives alone.
upsetsad or angry because of something bad
Anna is upset. Her best friend is angry with her.
Tired, bored, interested
tiredyou need to rest
I'm too tired to cook dinner.
sleepyyou want to sleep
It's nine o'clock and the baby is sleepy.
boredyou have nothing interesting to do
We are bored because there is nothing to do.
interestedyou want to know more
Are you interested in sports?
confusedyou do not understand
I'm confused. Is the class on Monday or on Tuesday?
Boring or bored?
boringnot interesting
This film is boring, so I'm bored.
excitingit makes you excited
The football match is more exciting than the film.
interestingit makes you want to know more
I think English is an interesting language.
Talking about feelings
feelto have a feeling
I feel happy when I see my friends.
moodhow you feel at one time
My dad's mood is better on Saturdays.
in a good moodhappy and friendly today
She's in a good mood because it's Friday.
in a bad moodunhappy or angry today
Don't talk to him now. He's in a bad mood.
How do you feel?a question about your feelings
How do you feel today, Tom?
Practice exercises
Match the Feelings
Match each word with its picture or meaning.
Choose a word on the left, then its match on the right.
Choose the Correct Word
Choose the correct word for each sentence.
9.The film is very ___. I want to go home.
10.I'm ___ in music. I play the guitar every day.
11.She is ___ of dogs. She never goes near them.
12.I'm ___ today than yesterday. I slept ten hours.
13.I can't go out. I'm ___ to walk.
14.Dan is in a good mood. He is probably ___.
15.Choose the best answer to 'How do you feel today?'
Fill in the Blank
Type the missing word.
How to talk about feelings in English
To say how you feel, use the verb to be and an adjective: I'm happy, she is tired, they are worried. You can also use feel: I feel sad. To ask, say How do you feel? or How are you?
Many feeling words end in -ed or -ing. Use -ed for people: I'm bored, he's excited, we are interested. Use -ing for things: this film is boring, the match is exciting, English is interesting. This is a very common mistake, so check the ending.
Use more, too and enough to compare and to say how strong a feeling is. A person can be more relaxed than before, too tired to go out, or happy enough with a small gift. Small words like a bit and very change the strength: a bit nervous, very excited.
A mood is how you feel at one time. When you are happy and friendly, you are in a good mood. When you are unhappy or angry, you are in a bad mood. Learn the words in groups and say one example about yourself for each word.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bored and boring?
Use -ed for the person who has the feeling: I'm bored. Use -ing for the thing or person that causes the feeling: The film is boring. It is the same with excited and exciting, and interested and interesting.
Do I say I am or I have with feelings?
Use the verb to be with an adjective: I am tired, she is happy, we are worried. We do not say I have tired. You can also use feel: I feel tired.
What is the difference between sad and upset?
Sad is a general word for the opposite of happy. Upset is more specific: you are sad or angry because something bad happened, for example a fight with a friend.
What is the difference between too tired and tired enough?
Too tired means more tired than is good, and it gives a problem: I'm too tired to cook. Enough goes after the adjective: Are you warm enough? It means you have what you need.
How can I answer How do you feel?
Say I feel and an adjective, or only I'm and an adjective: I feel great. I'm a bit tired, but OK. You can also say I'm fine, thanks, or I feel better than yesterday.
Answer key
1. happy
Answer: 😊
A smiling face shows a person who is happy.
2. sad
Answer: 😢
A crying face shows a person who is sad.
3. angry
Answer: 😠
A red face with a frown shows a person who is angry.
4. tired
Answer: you need to rest
You are tired after a long day and you need to rest.
5. bored
Answer: you have nothing interesting to do
Bored means that you have nothing interesting to do.
6. worried
Answer: you think something bad can happen
Worried means that you think something bad can happen.
7. excited
Answer: very happy about something good soon
Excited is more than happy: something good comes soon.
8. confused
Answer: you do not understand
Confused means that you do not understand.
9. The film is very ___. I want to go home.
Answer: boring
The film makes you bored, so the film is boring. Use -ing for the thing and -ed for the person.
10. I'm ___ in music. I play the guitar every day.
Answer: interested
I feel it, so I'm interested. Use -ed for the person who has the feeling.
11. She is ___ of dogs. She never goes near them.
Answer: scared
She never goes near dogs, so she is scared of them. Proud and excited do not fit.
12. I'm ___ today than yesterday. I slept ten hours.
Answer: more relaxed
With long adjectives we use more + adjective + than: more relaxed than.
13. I can't go out. I'm ___ to walk.
Answer: too tired
Too means more than we need, and it gives a problem: too tired to walk. Enough goes after the adjective and has a good meaning.
14. Dan is in a good mood. He is probably ___.
Answer: happy
In a good mood means happy and friendly today.
15. Choose the best answer to 'How do you feel today?'
Answer: I feel better, thanks.
How do you feel? asks about your feelings. Only the first answer talks about a feeling.
16. I'm ___ because there is nothing to do.
Answer: bored
When you have nothing interesting to do, you are bored.
17. He is crying. He is ___.
Answer: sad
A person who is crying is not happy: he is sad. Upset and unhappy are also correct.
18. I'm ___ of my daughter. She is the best player in the team.
Answer: proud
We say proud of when we are happy about something good that someone did.
19. I'm ___ about my holiday! It starts on Saturday.
Answer: excited
Excited means very happy about something good soon. Happy is also correct.
20. I'm too tired ___ cook dinner tonight.
Answer: to
Too + adjective + to + verb: too tired to cook.
21. My brother is not interested ___ sports.
Answer: in
We say interested in.
22. Anna is ___ than Paul before an exam. She is not nervous at all.
Answer: calmer
Calm is a short word, so we usually add -er: calmer than. More calm is also possible.