Solids, liquids and gases

In a solid, the particles are all touching and they are arranged in a regular pattern.

In a liquid, the particles are mostly touching but are not arranged in a regular pattern.

In a gas, the particles are very spread out from each other and there is no pattern.

A common mistake is to make liquids "halfway" between solids and gases. Liquids are much more like solids than they are like a gas.