Describe a Place and Compare It | English But Better

The key idea

Choose clear details, describe the place in order, and compare it with another place.

What is it for?

Learn to describe a place and compare it with another place.

What you need to know

Say what the place is and where it is.
Describe what people can see and do there.
Use specific words to describe the place.
Add real details about shops, transport, sounds, or smells.
Compare the place with another place.
Finish with your feelings or opinion.

1. Describe the place in order

Start by naming the place and saying where it is. Then describe what people can see and do there. Finish with your feelings or opinion.

Give the reader the basic information first.
Add two or three details about the place.
Put your opinion near the end.

Greenford is a small town near the sea.

Name the place and say where it is.

It has a market, a park, and two cafés.

Give details about what the town has.

I like it because it is quiet.

Finish with your opinion and a reason.

2. Choose specific words

Words like nice and good do not give many details. Choose words that help readers imagine the place.

Use quiet or busy to describe the streets.
Use clean or colourful to describe the place.
Use old or new for buildings.
Add one clear detail to each main idea.

The streets are quiet in the morning.

Quiet tells the reader about the streets.

The market has colourful fruit and flowers.

Colourful gives a clear picture.

Buses are busy after school.

This detail tells the reader when the buses are busy.

3. Compare two places

Comparisons show how two places are different or similar. Use than after most comparative forms.

Add -er to many short adjectives: small becomes smaller.
Double the last letter in some words: big becomes bigger.
Change y to i: easy becomes easier.
Use more before many long adjectives.
Use as ... as to show that two things are equal.

The town is smaller than the city.

Smaller compares the size of two places.

The city is more expensive than the town.

More expensive compares their costs.

The park is as clean as the garden.

As ... as shows that both places are equally clean.

4. Show what each place has

Use there is for one thing. Use there are for two or more things. Then add details about these things.

There is a bus stop near the market.
There are three cafés next to the park.
Add what people can see, hear, or do.
Use a superlative to show the highest degree.

There is a small shop near my house.

There is introduces one shop.

There are two parks in the town.

There are introduces two parks.

This is the quietest street in town.

The quietest shows that this street is quieter than all the others.

How to do it, step by step

Name the place and say where it is.
Describe the streets, buildings, shops, or parks.
Say what people can see and do there.
Compare the place with another place.
Finish with your opinion and a reason.

Formulas and key language

Use it for	Example	Another example
[Place] is a [size or type] [place].	Greenford is a small town.	Lake Park is a quiet place.
It is in/near [place].	It is near the sea.	It is in the north of the country.
There is a/an [singular noun].	There is a market near the station.	There is an old school in the town.
There are [plural noun].	There are three cafés in the town.	There are two parks near my home.
[Place A] is [adjective-er] than [Place B].	The town is smaller than the city.	The park is cleaner than the street.
[Place A] is more [adjective] than [Place B].	The city is more expensive than the town.	The new hotel is more modern than the old hotel.
[Place A] is as [adjective] as [Place B].	The garden is as quiet as the park.	The town is as clean as the village.
[Place] is the [adjective-est] place.	This is the oldest building in town.	That is the smallest shop on the street.
[Place] is the most [adjective] place.	This is the most popular café in town.	It is the most colourful market in the city.

UK / US: British English often uses town centre. American English often uses downtown.

Model text

A Small Town and a Big City

1. Introduce the place

Greenford is a small town near the sea. It is about thirty minutes from a big city by bus. The town has old houses, a small market, and a beautiful park.

The first part names the town and gives its location.

2. Describe what you can see and do

There are two cafés near the market. People buy fresh bread there every morning. The streets are quiet, and the air smells of flowers. At weekends, families walk in the park. There is also a small beach. Children play near the water, and people watch the boats.

The details help readers imagine daily life in the town.

3. Compare the places

The city is bigger and busier than Greenford. It has more shops and better bus services. But it is more expensive. Greenford is smaller than the city, but it is just as friendly. The city has the busiest shopping centre, but Greenford has the quietest streets. I prefer Greenford because I enjoy peaceful mornings and fresh air.

The final part compares both places and explains the writer's choice.

Common mistakes

✗ The town is more smaller than the city.

✓ The town is smaller than the city.

Use smaller alone. Do not add more before it.

✗ The city is expensive than the town.

✓ The city is more expensive than the town.

Use more before this long adjective.

✗ The park is cleaner the garden.

✓ The park is cleaner than the garden.

Use than when you compare two places.

✗ This is the most clean park in town.

✓ This is the cleanest park in town.

Use the cleanest for this short adjective.

✗ The city is more bigger than the town.

✓ The city is bigger than the town.

Use bigger without more.

✗ There is three cafés near the station.

✓ There are three cafés near the station.

Use there are before a plural noun.

Plan it, then check it

Plan

Choose two places you know.
Write the name and location of the first place.
List two or three details about it.
Choose two things to compare.
Write your opinion and give a reason.

Check

Did I name the place and say where it is?
Did I include clear details about the place?
Did I use there is or there are correctly?
Did I use comparative and superlative forms correctly?
Did I explain my opinion?

Practice

EXERCISE:

Choose the best description

Choose the best sentence for each situation.

1.You want to describe a quiet town.

The second sentence gives clear details about the town.

2.You want to compare the size of two places.

Use bigger than to compare the sizes.

3.You want to describe three cafés.

Use there are before a plural noun.

4.You want to compare prices.

Use more expensive than to compare prices.

5.You want to show that two parks are equally clean.

Use as clean as to show equal levels.

6.You want to name the quietest street in town.

Use the quietest to compare one street with all the others.

Now write

Your task

Describe your town or a place you like. Compare it with another place you know. Give clear details and explain your opinion.

Target: 7-9 sentences

Word bank

quietbusycleancolourfuloldmodernmarketparkshopbus stopstreetbeachsmaller thanmore expensive thanas quiet as

Sentence starters

I want to describe...
It is near...
There is...
There are...
It is ... than...
I prefer this place because...

Use made-up details if you do not want to share real places.

Instant feedback on your own text is part of Premium.

Check your writing

Did I name the place and say where it is?
Did I describe what people can see and do there?
Did I use specific words instead of only nice or good?
Did I compare the two places with correct forms?
Did I finish with my opinion and a reason?

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