Myriora English › Words › Chapter 3: Word collections

Describing places

Ages 9–11Chapter 3 · Lesson 7

In this lesson

Bustling is busy, and tranquil is peaceful.
Deserted is empty, and desolate is empty and bleak.
Remote is far away, cramped is too small, spacious has lots of room, and picturesque is pretty.

Your turn

Five people and two dogs were squeezed into the tiny room. Which word describes it?

Show the answer

Cramped! The room was too small for everyone inside.

The common mistake

Here's a common mistake. Mixing up deserted and desert. The beach was desert at night. But a desert is a dry, sandy place. An empty beach is deserted, with E, D on the end.

Try it at home

Postcard words: describe a place you know (a park, a beach, a station) using two words from the lesson: bustling, tranquil, remote, cramped.

Read the whole lesson

Hello, and welcome to Myriora English! A nice place, or a busy place? These words paint a much clearer picture.

First, busy and empty places. Bustling means full of busy, noisy activity. Tranquil means calm and peaceful. Deserted means empty, with nobody there. And desolate means empty, bleak and lonely.

Now, where a place is, and how it feels. Remote means far away from other places. Cramped means too small for the people or things inside. Spacious means with lots of room. And picturesque means pretty, like a picture.

Let's try one together. The market was full of people shouting, buying and selling. Which word describes it? Say it out loud!

Bustling! It was full of busy, noisy activity. Well done if you said bustling!

Here's a common mistake. Mixing up deserted and desert. The beach was desert at night. But a desert is a dry, sandy place. An empty beach is deserted, with E, D on the end.

Your turn! Five people and two dogs were squeezed into the tiny room. Which word describes it? Pick the right card. You've got eight seconds, or pause the video. Go!

Time's up! Cramped! The room was too small for everyone inside.

Quick review. Bustling is busy, and tranquil is peaceful. Deserted is empty, and desolate is empty and bleak. Remote is far away, cramped is too small, spacious has lots of room, and picturesque is pretty. See you next time!