feel
to experience an emotion or a physical sensation
- Describes both emotional and sensory experiences.
- Can be used for internal states (e.g., happy, sad) or external perceptions (e.g., cold, rough).
- Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
Usage
1. Emotional Sensation
When you "feel" an emotion, you become aware of it inside yourself.
- I feel happy when I listen to music.
- She feels nervous before exams.
- They felt excited about the trip.
2. Physical Sensation
"Feel" can describe how something touches you or how you perceive a physical state.
- This fabric feels soft.
- Do you feel the wind?
- He felt a sharp pain in his leg.
3. Opinions and Impressions
You can also "feel" something about a situation, idea, or decision, meaning you sense or believe it intuitively.
- I feel that this is the right choice.
- Do you feel ready to start?
- We felt the meeting went well.
4. Reflexive and Causative Forms
- I feel stressed. (Emotional state)
- The doctor made me feel better. (Causative)
- She felt the baby move. (Physical sensation)
Common Patterns
| Subject | Feel + (Emotion) | Feel + (Adj) | Feel + Noun | Feel + That... | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I/We/You/They | positive/negative | cold/hot/... | a bit tired | ...it's right | I feel happy. You feel tired. |
| He/She/It | She feels nervous. | ||||
| Physical (Sensation) | are... | This chair feels hard. | |||
| Opinion/Impression | + clause | I feel we should wait. |
Exercises
- Write three sentences using "feel" to describe emotions.
- Describe three different physical sensations using "feel."
- Give two examples of using "feel" to express opinions or impressions.
Sources
Source Material
Author: Merriam-Webster
Document: Feel (verb) - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Date Published: 2024
Source Material
Author: Lexico
Document: feel | Meaning & Definition for UK English | Lexico.com
Date Published: 2024
Source Material
Author: EF English Live
Document: Feel: Definition, Usage, and Examples in English
Date Published: 2024