Abstract Electron spin resonance (ESR, aka electron paramagnetic resonance, EPR) investigations have been conducted on radicals formed during radical polymerizations and provide a detailed characterization of the active radical species. Active propagating radicals can be observed during actual radical polymerizations by ESR/EPR. The chain lengths of the observed radicals were estimated by a combination of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and ESR/EPR. The structures of the chain end radicals were determined by analysis of the ESR/EPR spectra. An increase in the dihedral angles between terminal p-orbital of radical and Cβ–H bonds was observed with increasing chain lengths of methacrylate polymers. Radical transfer reactions were observed during radical polymerization of acrylates. A combination of ATRP and ESR/EPR clarified a 1,5-hydrogen shift mechanism of the radical transfer reactions using model adamantyl acrylate radicals. Penultimate unit effects were also observed. Time-resolved ESR/EPR (TR ESR) spectroscopy clarified the initiation processes of an alternating copolymerization of styrene with maleic anhydride and the copolymerization of styrene with 1,3-butadiene. Several unsolved problems in conventional radical polymerization processes have been clarified using combinations of ATRP with ESR/EPR and TR ESR. Characterization of the radicals in radical polymerizations using various ESR techniques would definitely provide interesting and useful information on conventional radical polymerizations.