Vocabulary · Nature
Landscapes in English
A2
Landscapes in English: mountains and valleys, seas and rivers, forests and deserts, the sky, and adjectives to describe a view. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Mountains and hills
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| mountain(n.)“I love the mountains.” | a very high hill | /ˈmaʊntɪn/ |
| hill(n.) | a small mountain with gentle sides | /hɪl/ |
| valley(n.) | low land between hills | /ˈvæli/ |
| cliff(n.) | a high rock wall by the sea | /klɪf/ |
| cave(n.) | a big hole in a rock | /keɪv/ |
| volcano(n.) | a mountain that can throw out lava | /vɒlˈkeɪnəʊ/ |
Water
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| sea(n.) | a large area of salt water | /siː/ |
| ocean(n.) | a very big sea, like the Atlantic | /ˈəʊʃən/ |
| river(n.) | fresh water that flows to the sea | /ˈrɪvə/ |
| lake(n.) | water with land all around it | /leɪk/ |
| pond(n.) | a small lake, often in a garden | /pɒnd/ |
| waterfall(n.) | a river dropping from a high place | /ˈwɔːtəfɔːl/ |
| beach(n.) | sand next to the sea | /biːtʃ/ |
| island(n.) | land with sea all around it | /ˈaɪlənd/ |
Forests, fields and deserts
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| forest(n.) | a large area full of trees | /ˈfɒrɪst/ |
| wood(n.) | a small forest; the material of trees | /wʊd/ |
| jungle(n.) | a hot, wet forest with thick plants | /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/ |
| desert(n.) | a very dry place, often with sand | /ˈdezət/ |
| field(n.) | an open area of grass or crops | /fiːld/ |
| meadow(n.) | a field of grass and wild flowers | /ˈmedəʊ/ |
Sky and adjectives
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| sky(n.) | the space above the earth | /skaɪ/ |
| horizon(n.) | the line where land meets sky | /həˈraɪzən/ |
| beautiful(adj.) | very nice to look at | /ˈbjuːtɪfʊl/ |
| peaceful(adj.) | calm and quiet | /ˈpiːsfʊl/ |
| wild(adj.) | natural, not controlled by people | /waɪld/ |
A common mistake
/ˈaɪzlənd/ ❌: the s in island is silent
Island is pronounced /ˈaɪlənd/: the s is silent. Do not say /ˈaɪzlənd/. It is just a strange spelling, and the s is silent in isle too.
Practice quiz
Related pages: Landscapes
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Going further
The “Landscapes” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
Every year, the English contest uses a wide range of cultural topics. Register your students so they can see what they really remember.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYLandscapes: learn these words for good
Learning a long list by heart and forgetting it a few days later? With PLAY, you review the words at the right moment (spaced repetition), so they stay in your head.
Review “Landscapes” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachers“Landscapes” vocabulary, ready for your lessons
The Academy groups these words into topic-based sequences, with quizzes and practice in context: your students remember the words, and you have nothing to mark.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between desert and dessert?+
Desert (one s, stress on the first syllable: /ˈdezət/) is a very dry place, like the Sahara. Dessert (two s, stress on the second syllable: /dɪˈzɜːt/) is the sweet food at the end of a meal. Tip: dessert has two s because you always want a second helping.
What is the difference between a river, a sea and a lake?+
A river is fresh water that flows to the sea. The sea is salt water. A lake is fresh water with land all around it, and its water does not flow away.
How do you describe a landscape in English?+
Use adjectives: It's beautiful, peaceful, wild or quiet. Then add details about what you see: There are mountains and forests. To say that a view is amazing, say The view is breathtaking.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/landscapes
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.