In many 11+ and 13+ exams, you have to talk about feelings. Yes, I know that’s hard for most boys that age, but I thought it might help if I wrote down a list of adjectives that describe our emotions. Here we go…

A bloke called Bob (actually Robert Plutchik) thought that people only ever felt eight different emotions:

His list is shown in this ‘wheel of emotions’. The basic eight feelings are:

• Ecstasy
• Admiration
• Terror
• Amazement
• Grief
• Loathing
• Rage
• Vigilance

If we had a think about all the adjectives that are associated with these categories (and sub-categories), we might come up with a list like this one:

• Ecstasy
  crazy
  delirious
  ecstatic
  elated
  enthusiastic
  euphoric
  fervent
  glad
  happy
  joyful
  joyous
  mad
  overjoyed
  rapturous
  rhapsodic
  serene
  thrilled
  upbeat
• Admiration
  accepting
  admiring
  adoring
  appreciative
  loving
  respectful
  trustful
  trusting
• Terror
  afraid
  aghast
  alarmed
  apprehensive
  awed
  frightened
  frozen
  scared
  submissive
  terrified
• Amazement
  amazed
  astonished
  astounded
  awe-struck
  bewildered
  dazed
  distracted
  dumbfounded
  flabbergasted
  impressed
  perplexed
  shocked
  staggered
  startled
  stunned
  surprised
  unprepared
• Grief
  bitter
  grief-stricken
  grieving
  heart-broken
  melancholy
  mournful
  pensive
  pessimistic
  sad
  somber
  sorrowful
  sorry
  unhappy
  wistful
• Loathing
  appalled
  bored
  disapproving
  disgusted
  outraged
  queasy
  tired
  weary
• Rage
  angry
  aggressive
  annoyed
  contemptuous
  enraged
  exasperated
  furious
  heated
  impassioned
  indignant
  irate
  irritable
  irritated
  offended
  resentful
  sullen
  uptight
• Vigilance
  anxious
  aware
  cautious
  circumspect
  expectant
  interested
  keen
  observant
  optimistic
  vigilant
  wary