UNIT 10 LESSON 03: WHAT IS IT?

Let’s talk about things and what they are like! 🔎

🔎 WHAT IS IT?

Sometimes we want to identify something. We can ask:

What is it? → It’s a camera.

We can also ask about its characteristics:

What is it like? → It’s small, light and useful.

Question	What we want to know	Example
What is it?	what something is	It’s a tablet.
What is it like?	what something is like	It’s small and light.
What does it do?	what something does	It takes photos.
What is it for?	what we use it for	It’s for taking photos.

🎨 DESCRIBING THINGS

We can use simple adjectives to describe objects.

Adjective	Example
big	It’s a big box.
small	It’s a small phone.
new	It’s a new computer.
old	It’s an old camera.
light	It’s light and easy to carry.
heavy	It’s quite heavy.
useful	It’s very useful.
easy	It’s easy to use.
difficult	It’s difficult to use.
interesting	It’s very interesting.

🧰 WHAT DOES IT DO?

We can describe an object by saying what it does.

Thing	What does it do?
a phone	It makes calls and sends messages.
a camera	It takes photos.
a computer	It helps us work and study.
a fridge	It keeps food cold.
a washing machine	It washes clothes.
a clock	It tells us the time.

🎯 WHAT IS IT FOR?

We can also talk about the purpose of something.

• A camera is for taking photos.
• A dictionary is for finding words.
• A pencil is for writing.
• A backpack is for carrying things.

After for, we can use a verb ending in -ing: for writing, for carrying, for taking.

📖 THE MYSTERY OBJECT

Emma has a mystery object in her school bag. Her friends have to guess what it is.

“What is it like?” asks Leo.

“It’s small and light,” says Emma. “It’s black and rectangular.”

“What does it do?” asks Mia.

“It helps me study. I can use it to find information and write things.”

“Is it your phone?” asks Leo.

“No, it isn’t.”

“Is it a dictionary?” asks Mia.

“No!” says Emma. “You can use it to look up words, but it has a screen.”

“I know!” says Leo. “It’s a tablet!”

“Exactly!” says Emma.

🔎 UNDERSTAND THE STORY

• Where is Emma’s mystery object?
• What does it look like?
• What can Emma use it for?
• Is it her phone?
• What is the mystery object?

✏️ DESCRIBE AN OBJECT

Choose an object in your room or school bag. Don’t say its name. Write four or five clues.

• What is it like?
• What colour is it?
• What does it do?
• What is it for?

Can a friend guess your object?

🗣️ ASK A FRIEND

Choose an object and ask your partner questions until you can guess it.

• What is it?
• What is it like?
• What does it do?
• What is it for?
• Is it big or small?

🏆 A2 CHALLENGE

Write a short description of a useful object. Include:

• three adjectives
• what it does
• what it is for

Don’t write the name of the object. Can someone guess what it is?

🎮 GAMES

Practise what you’ve learned! Try these games and practise describing things.

📥 Fichas descargables

📝 Resumen

En esta lección de inglés A2 has aprendido a identificar y describir objetos cotidianos. Has practicado preguntas como What is it?, What is it like?, What does it do? y What is it for?, además de adjetivos para explicar cómo son las cosas y expresiones para hablar de su función. Ahora puedes describir objetos sencillos y dar pistas para que otra persona adivine de qué objeto estás hablando.