Sample Word List: Describing Food

O Level and IGCSE English Language

Descriptive Vocabulary – Food

I. Vocabulary for Describing Food Taste

1. Sweet Flavours

• Sugary – strong sugar flavour (e.g. sugary doughnuts)
• Honeyed – mild, natural sweetness (e.g. honeyed carrots)
• Fruity – natural sweetness and tang (e.g. fruity jam)

2. Salty Flavours

• Salty – basic salt flavour (e.g. salted peanuts)
• Briny – salty and tangy, like pickles or olives
• Savory – pleasant salty/umami flavour (e.g. grilled meat)

3. Sour Flavours

• Tart – sharp and sour, but pleasant (e.g. tart apples)
• Tangy – a zesty sour note (e.g. tangy lemon sauce)
• Acrid – unpleasantly bitter or sour (e.g. acrid vinegar smell)

4. Bitter Flavours

• Bitter – sharp, often unpleasant (e.g. dark chocolate, coffee)
• Herbal – mildly bitter with plant taste (e.g. herbal tea)
• Pungent – strong and sharp bitterness or spice (e.g. raw garlic)

5. Spicy/Hot Flavours

• Spicy – flavour with noticeable heat (e.g. spicy curry)
• Fiery – extremely hot or intense (e.g. fiery chili)
• Peppery – warm, pepper-like spice (e.g. peppery steak)

II. Vocabulary for Describing Food Texture

1. Crunchy / Crispy Textures

• Crunchy – firm and breaks with a noise (e.g. crunchy celery)
• Crispy – light and brittle (e.g. crispy fries, crispy skin)
• Crumbly – falls apart easily (e.g. crumbly cookies)

2. Soft / Moist Textures

• Moist – slightly wet, soft (e.g. moist cake)
• Tender – soft and easy to chew (e.g. tender chicken)
• Fluffy – light and airy (e.g. fluffy pancakes)

3. Chewy / Sticky Textures

• Chewy – requires a lot of chewing (e.g. chewy steak)
• Sticky – clings to surfaces (e.g. sticky toffee)
• Gooey – soft and sticky (e.g. gooey brownies)

4. Smooth / Creamy Textures

• Smooth – uniform and without lumps (e.g. smooth soup)
• Creamy – rich and soft (e.g. creamy pasta sauce)
• Silky – soft and luxurious (e.g. silky chocolate mousse)

III. Vocabulary for Describing Food Appearance

• Golden-brown – perfectly cooked, browned surface
• Glazed – shiny coating (e.g. glazed doughnuts)
• Charred – dark and slightly burnt for flavour
• Juicy – full of moisture or juice
• Glossy – polished, attractive shine (e.g. glossy icing)
• Velvety – smooth and rich appearance

IV. Vocabulary for Describing Smell (Aroma)

• Aromatic – strong, pleasant smell (e.g. aromatic herbs)
• Fragrant – sweet-smelling (e.g. fragrant rice)
• Earthy – natural and soil-like (e.g. mushrooms)
• Woody – dry, warm scent (e.g. roasted spices)
• Smoky – smells like something grilled or burned

V. Vocabulary for Describing Overall Quality

• Mouth-watering – extremely appetising
• Delectable – delicious and fancy
• Luscious – rich, sweet, juicy
• Divine – extremely tasty, heavenly
• Scrumptious – very tasty (informal)
• Appetising – looks/smells good and makes you hungry
• Unpalatable – unpleasant to taste
• Bland – lacking strong flavour

VI. Sentence Examples for Application

• The tender, juicy steak melted in my mouth.
• A tangy, aromatic curry filled the air with spice.
• She served fluffy pancakes with a silky chocolate glaze.
• His sandwich was bland and dry, lacking any savory punch.
• The gooey centre of the brownie was delectable.