English Learning for Beginners: Feelings & Emotions

Dialogue

Current Situation

Understanding and expressing our feelings and emotions is a very important part of daily communication. When we talk about how we feel, we help others understand us better and build stronger relationships. For beginners, learning basic emotion words like ‘happy,’ ‘sad,’ ‘angry,’ and ‘excited’ is a great start. People show their feelings in many ways – through their words, their voice, and even their face. In English, we often use specific verbs like “feel,” “am,” or “look” to describe how we or others are feeling.

Key Phrases

• I am [feeling].

  Example: I am happy today.

• You look [feeling].

  Example: You look tired.

• How are you feeling?

  Example: “How are you feeling?” “I’m feeling good, thank you!”

• That makes me feel [feeling].

  Example: Getting a gift makes me feel excited.

• I feel [feeling] when…

  Example: I feel stressed when I have a lot of work.

• Don’t be [feeling]!

  Example: Don’t be sad! Everything will be okay.

• Common Feelings & Emotions: happy, sad, angry, tired, excited, hungry, surprised, confused, stressed, frustrated, annoyed, relieved, jealous, bored, ecstatic.

Grammar Points

When talking about feelings, we mostly use adjectives. Here’s how to use them with common verbs:

• The verb “to be” + Adjective (e.g., I am happy)

  We use forms of the verb “to be” (am, is, are) with an adjective to describe a feeling.

  • I am happy.
  • You are sad.
  • He/She/It is excited.
  • We are tired.
  • They are confused.
• The verb “feel” + Adjective (e.g., I feel happy)

  The verb “feel” is another common way to express emotions. It is often interchangeable with “to be” when talking about current emotional states.

  • I feel happy.
  • You feel sad.
  • He/She feels excited. (Remember the ‘s’ for he/she/it in simple present!)
  • We feel tired.
• The verb “look” + Adjective (e.g., You look tired)

  We use “look” to describe how someone appears, which often tells us about their feeling or state.

  • You look tired.
  • She looks happy.
  • They look surprised.
• “Don’t be…” (Imperative for advice)

  We use “Don’t be” + an adjective to tell someone not to feel a certain way. It’s a way to offer comfort or advice.

  • Don’t be sad!
  • Don’t be angry.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the Best Word.

1. When I get a present, I feel very ____. (sad / happy / angry)
2. After running for an hour, I am very ____. (excited / tired / surprised)
3. My friend didn’t call me back. I am a little ____. (hungry / confused / sad)
4. I got an “A” on my test! I am so ____! (annoyed / excited / bored)
5. When my phone battery dies, I feel ____. (relieved / frustrated / ecstatic)

Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences.

1. You look ______ today! Did you sleep well?
2. I feel ______ when I listen to my favorite music.
3. That makes me feel ______ when it rains all day.
4. Don’t be ______! Everything will be okay.
5. She is so ______ about her trip next week.

Exercise 3: Answer the Questions.

1. How do you feel when you eat your favorite food?
2. How do you feel when you learn something new?
3. What makes you feel angry?