Word bank 6 of 8 · 74 words · Free to print
Colours and light word bank
Shades of red, blue, green, yellow, white and black, plus words for bright light and for darkness and shadow.
About this word bank
"Red" and "blue" are a start, but a precise shade helps the reader see exactly what you see. Crimson feels rich and dramatic; coral feels warm and summery.
Light and dark are just as useful: a gleam of light in a dark tunnel, or a shadowy corner in a sunny room, can set the whole mood. Colours run from light to deep, light from soft to blinding.
In each group the words run from light to deep.
The words
Reds and pinks
From soft pink to deep red-brown.
- rosy
- pink
- coral
- cherry
- scarlet
- ruby
- crimson
- blood-red
- rust
- maroon
The sky over the bay turned coral, then crimson, as the sun sank.
Blues
From a pale sky to midnight.
- powder blue
- sky-blue
- turquoise
- azure
- cornflower
- sapphire
- cobalt
- royal blue
- navy
- indigo
The water in the lagoon was so turquoise that it looked painted.
Greens
From fresh shoots to dark forest.
- mint
- lime
- pea-green
- sage
- jade
- olive
- emerald
- moss-green
- bottle-green
- forest green
The dragon's scales were a deep emerald that flashed jade when it moved.
Yellows, oranges and golds
Warm colours for sun, fire and autumn.
- lemon
- primrose
- butter-yellow
- golden
- honey
- mustard
- amber
- tangerine
- copper
- bronze
Autumn leaves, amber and copper, drifted across the playground.
Whites, greys and blacks
From snow to coal.
- snow-white
- ivory
- cream
- pearly
- silver
- ash-grey
- slate
- charcoal
- ebony
- jet-black
- inky
Its coat was jet-black, except for one silver streak down its nose.
Bright light
From a soft glow to a blinding blaze.
- glow
- flicker
- glimmer
- twinkle
- shimmer
- gleam
- glint
- sparkle
- glitter
- flash
- blaze
- dazzle
- glare
A faint glimmer at the end of the tunnel gave them hope.
Sunlight glinted off the helmet, so bright that Oscar had to look away.
Darkness and shadow
From dusk to pitch-black.
- dim
- dusky
- shady
- shadowy
- murky
- gloomy
- sombre
- unlit
- inky black
- pitch-black
The corridor grew gloomier with every step, until it was pitch-black and Mia had to feel her way along the wall.
How to use this word bank without overdoing it
- Use colour where it matters: a character's eyes, a clue, the sky at a turning point. Not every object needs a colour.
- Pick a shade that fits the mood. Crimson can feel dangerous; rosy feels gentle.
- Light verbs (gleamed, glinted, flickered) are often stronger than colour adjectives, because they show movement too.
- Contrast works well: a single gleam of gold in a gloomy room draws the reader's eye.
Practice: Paint the sky
- Write three sentences describing the same sky at dawn, at midday and at night.
- Use at least one colour word and one light word in each sentence.
- Swap one colour for a different shade. Does it change the mood?
Get feedback on a story
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Free monthly writing competition
A new story prompt every month: a great place to try out the words from this bank.
Learn the meanings: Light & colour
Not sure what a word means? The 11+ vocabulary pages explain words like these, with examples and a quick quiz.
Questions parents ask
What are other words for colours in creative writing?
For red: scarlet, crimson, ruby, maroon. For blue: azure, sapphire, cobalt, navy. For green: emerald, jade, olive, sage. For yellow and orange: golden, amber, mustard, tangerine. For black and grey: ebony, jet-black, slate, charcoal.
How do I describe light in a story?
Use verbs that show what the light is doing: it can glow, flicker, glimmer, gleam, glint, sparkle, blaze or dazzle. Dark places can be dim, shadowy, murky, gloomy or pitch-black.