Examples of Description of a Situation in English

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For describe a situation or experience in English; there is specific vocabulary, as well as general guidelines that help express the feelings of the speaker or writer.

In English it is usual to begin the description of a situation with phrases like:

• The most amazing experience I've ever had was.../ The most amazing experience I ever had was…
• The most surprising situation I've ever been in was.../ The most amazing situation I was in was…

Some examples of situations to describe in English are:

• a funny situation/ a funny situation
• a strange experience/ a rare experience
• a hilarious anecdote/ a very funny anecdote
• a spooky story / a terror story
• an awkward moment/ an awkward moment

• See also: Description of a place in English

Vocabulary to describe a situation in English

There are words (both adjectives as nouns) that are used to express the feelings and reaction of the speaker when describing a situation or experience.

Words to describe a positive situation in English

Some words to describe a situation, experience, anecdote or positive moment in English are:

• amazing / amazing, amazing
• awesome / Great, cool
• captivating / fascinating
• emotional / emotional, moving
• enjoyable / nice, pleasant
• extraordinary / extraordinary
• fantastic / fantastic
• fascinating/ fascinating
• great / great, great
• inspired/ inspiring, motivating
• nice / pleasant
• magical / magical
• mesmerizing / mesmerizing, captivating
• mystical/ mystical
• outstanding / spectacular, exceptional
• pleasant / pleasant, pleasant
• remarkable / extraordinary
• wonderful / marvelous

informal expressions

There are expressions to make a more vivid description of a situation. For example:

• out of this world/ from another planet, excellent. For example: Swimming with dolphins was out of this world./ Swimming with dolphins was from another planet.
• something else/ Great, cool. For example: That excursion to the lake was something else. / That excursion to the lake was something great.
• blow (my) mind/ blow the head. For example: The movie blew my mind./ The movie blew my mind.
• worth it/ worth. For example: It was totally worth it./ It really was worth it.

Words to describe a funny situation in English

Some words to describe a funny situation in English are:

• amusing / amusing, funny, entertaining
• funny / funny, humorous, humorous
• fun / funny entertaining
• hilarious / hilarious, hilarious
• humorous / funny, comical
• hysterical / hilarious

informal expressions

There are informal expressions to more vividly describe what a situation was like:

• to blast/ a bomb, great. For example: John's party was to total blast. / John's party was hilarious.
• laugh (your) head off / hilarious. For example: We laughed our heads off at his joke. / We laughed our heads off at his joke.

Some nouns and phrases related to a funny situation are:

• a practical joke / a joke
• to prank/ a joke
• tell a joke/ tell a joke
• to pull someone's leg/ tease someone
• laugh at/ laugh at something or someone

Words to describe a negative situation in English

Some words in English to describe a negative situation or experience are:

• awful / terrifying, frightful
• awkward / uncomfortable
• bewildering / perplexing, confusing
• confusing / confused
• harrowing / heartbreaking, horrifying
• awful / awful
• nasty / terrible, ugly
• odd / queer
• overwhelming / oppressive, overwhelming
• puzzling / perplexing, confusing
• shocking/ shocking
• terrible / terrible
• unpleasant / disgusting
• upsetting / sad, terrible

informal expressions 

There are informal expressions to more vividly express a negative situation. For example:

• let down/ A disappointment. For example: The performance was let down. / The performance was a disappointment.
• too much/ too much. For example: The situation was too much for him; it was unbearable./ The situation was too much for him; it was unbearable.

Words to describe a situation that generates fear in English

Some words in English to describe that a situation generates fear are:

• creepy / creepy, creepy
• eerie / haunting, chilling
• frightening / terrifying, frightful
• mysterious / mysterious
• scary / chilling
• spooky / creepy, weird
• terrifying / frightful, terrifying

informal expressions

There are informal expressions in English to express that a situation or experience generates fear:

• creep out/ scare, scare For example: That horror movie creeped me out./ That horror movie scared me.
• freak out/ scare, scare For example: Gosh, Mark, you freaked me out!/ Damn, Mark, you scared me!

• It can help you: Description of an object in English

How to describe a situation in English?

To describe a situation in English, it is important to:

• Start with a sentence that captures the reader's attention (or speaker). For example: The most awkward moment I've ever experienced was... / The most awkward moment I ever experienced was…
• Include appropriate vocabulary and placements (combinations of words) specific. For example: an unforgettable experience/ an unforgettable experience, a difficult situation/ a difficult situation.
• Start with the end of the situation, and count it in reverse order, to build suspense, by using narrative tense (past simple, past perfect, past continuous). For example:I looked at all the empty dishes and glasses scattered around the living room. The party had been a great one…/ I looked at all the empty plates and glasses scattered throughout the living room. It had been a great party.
• Include feelings and emotions, which make the description of the situation more vivid and interesting. For example: Seeing the Northern Lights is one of the most eerie and strange experiences you can possibly have in your life./ Seeing the Northern Lights is one of the most haunting and bizarre experiences you can ever have in your life.

• It can help you: Description of a person in English

Examples of descriptions of a situation in English

1. It was such an embarrassing situation when I fell off my bike. I felt so uncomfortable and ashamed!
   It was such an embarrassing situation when I fell off my bike. I felt so uncomfortable and embarrassed!
2. The situation was absolutely hilarious. The girls were giggling at the back of the class and then I burst out laughing. It was so very funny.
   The situation was really hilarious. The girls were at the back of the class trying to hide their laughter, and then I burst out laughing. It was so funny.
3. It was a tense situation. There was an awkward silence when Terry found out. Everybody knew what had happened.
   It was a tense situation. There was an awkward silence as Terry entered. They all knew what had happened.
4. Many people believe that getting married is one of the most nerve-racking experiences one can possibly have.
   Many people believe that getting married is one of the most stressful experiences one can have.
5. Professor Andrews' class was impossible to follow. It was not only hard but also extremely boring.
   Professor Andres' class was impossible to follow. It was not only difficult, but extremely boring.
6. The concert was totally worth it. I found Chris' performance absolutely mesmerizing. I couldn't get my eyes off him.
   The concert was really worth it. I think Chris' performance was completely mesmerizing. He couldn't take his eyes off her.
7. I guess his previous recital by him had been a let down. He had been sick and had to cancel halfway through the show.
   I think his previous recital had been disappointing. He had gotten sick and had to cancel in the middle of the show.
8. We spent a wonderful evening with Brad; it was an enjoyable meal and we had a very pleasant conversation.
   We had a wonderful evening with Brad; it was a pleasant meal and the conversation was very pleasant.
9. When we were little we used to visit an allegedly haunted house down the road, which I found really frightening.
   When we were kids, we used to visit a supposedly haunted house down the street, which I found really scary.
10. It was spooky to have bumped into an old lady in that abandoned house when it was supposed to be uninhabited.
    It was creepy to have found that old lady when the house was supposed to be uninhabited.
11. I shouldn't have watched that horror movie. It scared me to death. It was definitely creepy.
    I shouldn't have watched that horror movie. I almost died of fear. It was definitely creepy.
12. Attending her lecture from her was really inspiring. I felt it was a mystical moment.
    Going to her conference was really inspiring. I felt like it was a mystical moment.
13. It was so weird to meet him by chance three times on the same day.
    It was so strange to meet him three times by chance in the same day.
14. Being in the middle of the bank robbery was a harrowing experience.
    Being in the middle of a bank robbery was a horrifying experience.
15. I found it unnerving speaking in front of such a big audience.
    I felt that it was very uncomfortable to speak in front of such a large audience.
16. I got stuck in traffic for three hours, which I found absolutely maddening.
    I got stuck in traffic for three hours, which was absolutely maddening.
17. The day I met my favorite artist was an emotional moment I'll cherish in my heart forever.
    The day I met my favorite artist was an exciting moment, which I will keep in my heart forever.
18. She gave a captivating and moving performance.
    He gave a gripping and moving performance.
19. It was one of the scariest experiences I've ever had in my life.
    It was one of the most terrifying experiences I have ever had in my life.
20. The show was hysterical. You could see that everybody in the audience was having a great time. We really laughed our heads off.
    The show was very funny. You could see that everyone in the audience was having a great time. We really died laughing.

Follow with:

• Qualifying adjectives in English
• Sentences with “used to” in English
• Adjectives to describe places in English
• Adjectives to describe food in English
• Adjectives to describe people in English

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