Adjectives (Describing Words): Free KS1 Year 2 English Worksheet

What is on the worksheet

The worksheet shows one large, characterful picture — a fluffy cat curled up asleep — chosen because it invites lots of describing words. Your child looks carefully at the picture and writes two adjectives that describe it, for example fluffy and soft, or sleepy and round. A small help box (a word bank) offers a handful of suggested describing words so that less confident writers have a starting point, while children who are ready can think of their own. Once the writing is finished, the same picture is there to be coloured in, giving a calm, rewarding end to the task.

How to use it at home or in the classroom

Begin by talking about the picture together before any writing happens. Ask open questions such as 'What does the cat look like?', 'How does its fur feel?' and 'What is it doing?'. Each answer is usually an adjective in disguise. Encourage your child to say a full phrase out loud — 'the fluffy cat', 'the sleepy cat' — so they hear how the describing word sits in front of the noun. Then they choose their two favourite words to write down. There are no single correct answers here: any sensible describing word is a good answer, which makes this an encouraging, low-pressure activity.

From adjectives to expanded noun phrases

The real purpose of describing words in Year 2 is to build expanded noun phrases — short groups of words built around a noun, such as 'the soft, fluffy cat'. Once your child has written two adjectives, you can take the activity one step further by joining them to the noun: 'the fluffy, sleepy cat'. This shows children how a few well-chosen words can paint a clear picture for the reader, and it lays the groundwork for the more detailed description and specification expected as they move into Key Stage 2.

A note for teachers

This sheet introduces the grammatical term adjective and supports pupils in selecting vocabulary for description, in line with the Year 2 requirements in English Appendix 2. It works well as a shared modelling task on the board, an independent follow-up, or an early-finisher activity. To extend, ask pupils to write the full expanded noun phrase on the back of the sheet, or to add a third describing word. To support, narrow the word bank to two or three options and model writing the first adjective together.

Frequently asked questions