Exercise 1
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about feelings, emotions, and attitudes.
Example: She felt very _______ when she heard the bad news. (upset / excited / proud)
Answer: She felt very upset when she heard the bad news.
Feelings, Emotions and Attitudes
How are you feeling today? Are you excited about something? Perhaps a little anxious? Or maybe just content with life as it is? Being able to talk about feelings, emotions and attitudes is one of the most important skills in everyday English. Whether you are chatting with a friend, writing a message, or having a serious conversation, the right vocabulary helps you express yourself clearly and honestly.
Read this short situation to see some of these words in action:
Maria has a job interview tomorrow. She feels nervous but also enthusiastic about the opportunity. Her friend tells her not to worry and says she should feel confident. After the interview, Maria is relieved — it went well! A week later, she gets the job and feels absolutely thrilled.
In this lesson, you will learn key vocabulary for feelings, emotions and attitudes at B1 intermediate level, including useful collocations, common confusions, and typical mistakes to avoid.
Key Vocabulary & Meaning Breakdown
1. Positive Feelings & Emotions
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| thrilled | adjective — extremely pleased and excited | She was thrilled when she heard the good news. | thrilled about something; thrilled with a result |
| content | adjective — happy and satisfied with what you have | He is content with his simple life in the countryside. | content with something; feel content |
| relieved | adjective — feeling better after worry or stress has ended | I was so relieved when the test was finally over. | relieved to hear; feel relieved; what a relief! |
| enthusiastic | adjective — showing a lot of interest and energy about something | The students were very enthusiastic about the new project. | enthusiastic about something; show enthusiasm |
| proud | adjective — feeling pleased about an achievement (your own or someone else's) | Her parents were very proud of her exam results. | proud of someone/something; feel proud |
| confident | adjective — feeling sure of your own abilities | She felt confident before giving her presentation. | confident about something; self-confident; confidence in yourself |
| hopeful | adjective — believing that something good will happen | We are hopeful that the situation will improve. | hopeful about the future; remain hopeful |
2. Negative Feelings & Emotions
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| anxious | adjective — worried or nervous about something uncertain | He felt anxious about meeting his girlfriend's parents. | anxious about something; feel anxious; anxiety (noun) |
| frustrated | adjective — feeling annoyed because you cannot do or achieve something | She felt frustrated when nobody listened to her ideas. | frustrated with someone; frustrated by a situation |
| disappointed | adjective — feeling sad because something was not as good as expected | He was disappointed that he didn't get the job. | disappointed with a result; disappointed in someone; disappointed that ... |
| jealous | adjective — unhappy because someone else has something you want | She felt jealous when her friend bought a new car. | jealous of someone; feel jealous |
| ashamed | adjective — feeling guilty or embarrassed about something you did | He was ashamed of his behaviour at the party. | ashamed of something; deeply ashamed |
| fed up | phrasal adjective — very bored or annoyed because a situation has continued too long | I'm completely fed up with waiting for the bus every morning. | fed up with something/someone; informal and very common |
| overwhelmed | adjective — feeling that something is too much to deal with | She was overwhelmed by all the work she had to do. | overwhelmed by/with something; feel overwhelmed |
3. Attitudes & General Outlook
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| optimistic | adjective — believing that good things will happen; having a positive attitude | She is optimistic about finding a new job. | optimistic about the future; remain/stay optimistic |
| pessimistic | adjective — believing that bad things will happen; having a negative attitude | He tends to be pessimistic about changes at work. | pessimistic about something; overly pessimistic |
| indifferent | adjective — not interested in or caring about something | She seemed completely indifferent to the results of the election. | indifferent to something; show indifference |
| sympathetic | adjective — understanding and caring about someone else's problems | My manager was very sympathetic when I explained my situation. | sympathetic towards someone; feel sympathetic |
| determined | adjective — having a strong decision to do something and not give up | She was determined to pass her driving test, even after failing twice. | determined to do something; feel determined; stay determined |
| reluctant | adjective — not wanting to do something; unwilling | He was reluctant to ask for help because he felt embarrassed. | reluctant to do something; feel reluctant; reluctantly (adverb) |
| curious | adjective — wanting to know or learn more about something | The children were very curious about how aeroplanes work. | curious about something; feel curious; curiosity (noun) |
Collocations & Useful Expressions
Learning how these words combine with other words (collocations) will help you sound more natural in English. Here are the most important ones for feelings, emotions and attitudes:
feel + emotion
I feel nervous / excited / ashamed / proud / relieved.
This is the most common pattern. Use feel + adjective to describe an emotion.
be + emotion + preposition
She is excited about the trip. / He is disappointed in me. / They are proud of their son.
Remember: different emotions use different prepositions!
get + emotional / frustrated / upset
He gets very frustrated when he has to repeat himself.
Use get + adjective to show a change in emotion (moving into that feeling).
burst into tears
She burst into tears when she heard the sad news.
This means to suddenly start crying.
be in a good / bad mood
My boss is in a bad mood today — I don't want to disturb him.
A "mood" describes your general emotional state at a particular time.
mixed feelings
I have mixed feelings about moving to a new city — I'm excited but also nervous.
Use this to describe having both positive and negative emotions about the same thing.
lose your temper
He lost his temper when his computer stopped working.
This means to suddenly become very angry and stop controlling your emotions.
cheer someone up
She brought her friend some flowers to cheer her up.
This phrasal verb means to make someone feel happier.
look forward to + noun / -ing verb
I'm really looking forward to the weekend.
This means you feel excited and happy about something that will happen soon.
take something personally
Please don't take it personally — I was just being honest.
This means to feel that a comment or action was a direct criticism of you.
Important Differences & Confusing Words
Nervous vs Anxious
Both words describe feelings of worry, but they are used in slightly different ways.
Nervous usually describes a feeling before a specific event — something you are about to do, such as a test, a speech, or a performance. It is often short-term.
I always feel nervous before an exam.
Anxious can describe a similar feeling, but it is often stronger and more general. It can describe a long-term state of worry, not just about one event.
She has been feeling anxious about her health for weeks.
Both words use the preposition about: nervous about something / anxious about something.
Sympathetic vs Empathetic
Sympathetic means you feel sorry for someone and care about their problem. You understand that they are suffering, but it does not mean you have had the same experience.
My colleagues were very sympathetic when I was ill.
Empathetic means you truly understand how someone feels because you have experienced something similar yourself. It is a deeper emotional connection.
As someone who grew up in poverty, she felt very empathetic towards homeless people.
Note: Sympathetic does NOT mean "nice" or "friendly" in English, even though in some other languages the similar word has that meaning. Be careful!
Embarrassed vs Ashamed
Embarrassed describes a feeling of social discomfort — you did something awkward or silly in front of others, and you wish it had not happened.
He was embarrassed when he forgot the name of a colleague he had met many times.
Ashamed is a stronger and more serious feeling. You feel that you did something morally wrong and you feel guilty about it.
She was ashamed of lying to her best friend.
Bored vs Boring
This is one of the most common confusions for learners of English.
Bored describes how a person feels — the subject has the feeling.
I was really bored during the lecture.
Boring describes the thing or person that causes the feeling.
The lecture was really boring.
The same pattern applies to many other emotion pairs:
excited / exciting — tired / tiring — frightened / frightening — surprised / surprising — frustrated / frustrating
Mood vs Feeling vs Emotion
Feeling is a general word for something you experience emotionally or physically. It is very common in everyday English.
I have a strange feeling that something is wrong.
Emotion is often used in a more formal or psychological context. It refers to a strong internal state such as joy, fear, love, or anger.
She struggled to control her emotions during the ceremony.
Mood describes your general emotional state at a particular time. A mood can last for hours or even a whole day.
He is in a great mood today — he got a promotion!
Common Mistakes
❌ I am very bored of this meeting. It is so bored.
✅ I am very bored in this meeting. It is so boring. — Use bored for people and boring for things. Also, note that we usually say "bored with" or "bored during", not "bored of" a specific event.
❌ She is very sympathetic — she always smiles and says hello.
✅ She is very friendly — she always smiles and says hello. — Sympathetic means you feel sorry for someone's problem, not that you are a pleasant or sociable person.
❌ I am exciting about the holiday!
✅ I am excited about the holiday! — Use excited to describe how you feel. The holiday is exciting (it causes the feeling).
❌ He is disappointed about his teacher.
✅ He is disappointed in his teacher. — When someone lets you down personally, use disappointed in. Use disappointed with for results or situations: disappointed with the result.
❌ She is proud about her son.
✅ She is proud of her son. — Always use proud of, not proud about.
❌ I am very enthusiastic for the new project.
✅ I am very enthusiastic about the new project. — Use enthusiastic about, not for.
❌ He is very nervious about the exam.
✅ He is very nervous about the exam. — The correct spelling is nervous, not nervious.
Feelings, Emotions and Attitudes: Quick Summary & Review
In this lesson, you have explored a wide range of vocabulary for talking about feelings, emotions and attitudes in English at B1 intermediate level. Here are the key takeaways:
- Use feel + adjective to describe an emotion: I feel relieved / frustrated / proud.
- Different emotions take different prepositions: proud of, anxious about, disappointed in, enthusiastic about.
- Use -ed adjectives (excited, bored, frustrated) for how a person feels, and -ing adjectives (exciting, boring, frustrating) for the thing that causes the feeling.
- Remember the difference between embarrassed (social discomfort) and ashamed (moral guilt).
- Remember that sympathetic does NOT mean "friendly" — it means you feel sorry for someone's difficulty.
- Common collocations include: lose your temper, have mixed feelings, burst into tears, cheer someone up, look forward to.
Now practise feelings, emotions and attitudes vocabulary in the exercises below.
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