This study examined the clinical usefulness of the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). Thirty postoperative patients were asked to describe their postoperative pain and were then administered the SF-MPQ. Eighteen (60%) used exact SF-MPQ sensory or affective words or synonyms to describe their postoperative pain during the interview. These results provide further evidence of the clinical relevance of the SF-MPQ sensory and affective scales. Pain descriptions by patients that go beyond pain intensity descriptions may communicate more precise information about the pain and lead to more effective pain interventions. Patients with difficulty describing their pain might be assisted by using the SF-MPQ.