Soil texture is a soil property used to describe the relative proportion of different grain sizes of mineral particles in a soil. Particles are grouped according to their size into what are called soil separates. These separates are typically named clay, silt, and sand. Soil texture classification is based on the fractions of soil separates present in a soil. The soil texture triangle is a diagram often used to determine soil textures.

Figure 4.1: USDA textural triangle

Obviously, all soil samples contain sand, silt and clay (fractions). The question to ask yourself in the field is whether the sample in your hand is sand, loamy sand; loam; clay loam; or clay (See Sands, Loamy Sand, and Sandy Loam Texture Classes) :
If it is sand (S):is it fine sand, medium sand, or coarse sand?
If loamy sand (LS): is it loamy fine sand, medium, or coarse?
If loam: sandy (SL), silty (SiL), heavy (HL=close to clay loam)?
If clay loam (Cl): sandy (SCl), silty (SiCl), light (Li Cl), heavy (HCl=close to clay)?
If clay (C): Sandy (SC), silty (SiC), light (LiC), heavy (HC= 60% clay is present)

Remark: You notice that the terms sand, silt and clay are used once as fraction names and once as texture class name (when we say clay loam, for instance)

See an example of a Sand Ruler which helps you to decide on the size of the sand grains in "sandy textured soils".