Describing objects Page 1/3
1. Function / Use:
You have two possibilities to explain the use of an object:
a. used to + V à l’infinitif
b. used for + Ving
Example:
A drum set is used to play music
A drum set is used for playing music
2. Components / Parts:
You can tell:
a. A hammer a handle and a head
or
b. A hammer includes a handle and a head
or
c. A hammer has two a handle and a head
3. Characteristics:
3.1.Material or company:
A chair is made of wood.
Bread is made from wheat.
This kind of car is made by a big company in Japan.
3.2.Shape / Figure:
A coin is shaped like a circle.
A coin is circular in shape.
A coin is circular
Here is a list of regular shapes, give the adjective of each:
Noun Adjective
rectangle rectangular
square square
triangle triangular
semicircle semicircular
circle cicular
cube cubic
pyramid pyramidal
cone conic
hemisphere hemispherical
cylinder cylindrical
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3.3.Description:
• The rectangle has an area of four square meters
• The circle has an area of five square meters
• The cube has a volume of seven cubic meters
• The cylinder has a volume of ten cubic meters
Complete the following chart (give the English noun and the English adjective of each French word):
Noun: Adjective: Translation in French
leight long longueur
altitude tall hauteur
width Largeur
depth profondeur
perimeter perinatal Périmètre
3.4.Property
Property is a special quality that belongs to the object.
The interior of a Ping-Pong ball is hollow.
This book is thick.
The glass bottle is fragile.
The sides of a car are flat
The middle of a bottle is curved.
3.5.Colours:
Black, white, green, orange, any colour
4. Sample answers (ce sont des exemples):
What does it look like?
It's look like a TV transmitter.
How big is it? (What size is it?)
It’s 3 meters, by 4 meters, by 5 meters.
How much does it weigh?
It weighs 25 kilograms.
What color is it?
It’s bright yellow, brighter than a banana.
What’s it made out of?
It’s made of plastic.
What is it?
It's a musical instrument.
What does it do?
It puts a sharp point on wooden pencils.
What the purpose of a refrigerator?
The purpose of a refrigerator is to keep food cold so it does not spoil.
What do you use a (... peeler) for?
A peeler is used to remove the skin of fruits or vegetables.
How does a (... water heater) work?
Water is collected in a large tank and heated by either gas or
electricity.
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5. Describe buildings (shape, colour, materials, dimensions...)
5.1.Look at these buildings. Where are they located (country)?
5.2.Choose one of these buildings and describe it by using sentences in the paragraph number 4.
You must talk about its shape, its dimensions, its materials...
