Describing a picture in Past tense
Useful language
1. Start by Setting the Scene
“This picture was taken [last week / last month / last year / on my birthday / during my trip].”
“In this picture, I was at [a party / a beautiful place/the beach / my friend’s house / a Zoom call / a
trip / in my first language class.”
“It was a [special day / holiday / birthday / celebration first day of class / last trip].
2. Describe Who Was There
“I was with [my family / my friends / my classmates/ the teacher / my team].”
“In the picture, you can see [me and my friend / my sister / everyone from my school/ the teacher
and other students / my parents and sister].”
“There were [two / five / many] people at the [party / event / meeting].”
3. Say What Was Happening
“We were [celebrating / dancing / talking / taking pictures / laughing].”
“In the picture, we were all [smiling / eating / having fun / relaxing].”
“Everyone was [happy / excited / having a good time].”
For a trip: “We were [exploring / taking pictures / relaxing].”
For a Zoom party: “We were [talking / laughing / sharing stories online].”
For a birthday: “Everyone was [singing / eating cake / giving me gifts].”
For a class: “The teacher was [explaining something / showing us a video / teaching new words].”
4. Describe the Location and Details
For a trip: “We were [at the beach / in the mountains / at a famous place].”
For a Zoom party: “We were [on a video call / celebrating online / at home but on the screen].”
For a language class: “I was in a [classroom / online class] with other students.”
For a birthday party: “The room was decorated with [balloons / lights / banners].”
5. Describe People’s Appearance and Feelings
“I was wearing [a dress / a T-shirt / something comfortable].”
“My friend was wearing [a funny hat / a party costume].”
“We all looked [happy / excited / a little tired / surprised].”
6. Mention What Happened Next or How You Felt
“After this picture, we [went home / danced more / talked a lot/ talked more / learned new words].”
“I felt [very happy / tired but happy / grateful /more confident / tired but excited].”
“It was a special day / fun experience / great memory] [wonderful / fun / unforgettable] time.”
Useful Vocabulary
People: family, friends, classmates, teacher, group, everyone
Places: beach, park, famous place, classroom, home, Zoom
Actions: talking, exploring, learning, laughing, sharing, eating
Objects: cake, balloons, presents, books, computer, decorations
Feelings: happy, excited, tired, nervous, interested
