A Useful Resource for Primary School Students

DESCRIBING CHARACTERS FEELINGS IN COMPOSITIONS

Why is it important to describe your story characters’ feelings?

Feelings give life to your story characters and help readers identify with them.
Without feelings, your characters would be plain and flat.

Many teachers look for descriptions of characters’ feelings in their students’

compositions. Therefore, it is vital for you to know how to vividly describe specific
feelings of your story characters.

An Effective Writing Technique - SHOW NOT TELL

An effective way to describe characters’ feelings is to use the writing technique of

“Show Not Tell”.

When we ‘show’ how a person feels, we describe his/her actions. The basis of ‘Show
Not Tell’ is to describe a character’s feelings through his actions, thoughts and
speech.

For example,

Jane was happy. She did well for her examinations.

We are telling readers that Jane was HAPPY. However, we have not painted a
picture in readers’ minds.

Using the writing technique ‘Show Not Tell’, we can vividly describe Jane’s
happiness.

Jane's eyes lit up with joy. Holding her report book in her hands, a wide smile spread
across her face. “I can’t wait to show Dad and Mum my results!” she thought as her
heart pounded with excitement. She could not stop smiling.

Now, can you see the difference between ‘Showing’ and ‘Telling’?

In order to describe your characters’ feelings well, you need to have a wide range
of vocabulary.

Here is a list of 120 phrases that you can use to vividly describe your story
characters’ feelings.

Have fun spicing up your compositions with these phrases!

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 120 WAYS TO DESCRIBE CHARACTERS’ FEELINGS

HAPPINESS AND EXCITEMENT

1. eyes lit up with joy / excitement

2. a broad grin flashed across (one’s) face

3. whistling a happy tune

4. jumping up and down in excitement

5. punched the air in jubilation

6. squealed with delight

7. smiled and gave a thumbs-up

8. grinned from ear to ear

9. leapt with joy

10. heart pounding with excitement

11. bursting with happiness

12. giggled in delight

13. eyes sparkled with joy

14. could not stop smiling

15. floating on air

16. wide grin plastered on (one’s) face

17. a spring in (one’s) steps

18. cried tears of joy

19. heart swelled with happiness

20. eyes beaming with joy

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 120 WAYS TO DESCRIBE CHARACTERS’ FEELINGS

SADNESS AND DISAPPOINTMENT

1. tears welled up in (one’s) eyes

2. clutched (one’s) head in despair

3. wailing in grief / sorrow

4. hung (one’s) head in disappointment

5. tears flowed down (one’s) cheeks

6. wept / sobbed uncontrollably

7. heart sank

8. face fell

9. heart broke into a million pieces

10. Eyes (were) red and puffy

11. eyes brimmed with tears

12. cried in dismay

13. hold back (one’s) tears

14. eyes reddened / eyes turned red

15. on the verge of tears

16. cried (one’s) heart out

17. grief filled (one’s) heart

18. face etched with sorrow / misery

19. dull ache filled (one’s) heart

20. shoulders stooped

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 120 WAYS TO DESCRIBE CHARACTERS’ FEELINGS

ANGER

1. clenched (one’s) fists

2. stomped off

3. face turned red with rage

4. raised (one’s) voice in anger

5. yelled in exasperation

6. bellowed ferociously

7. gave a scorching look

8. eyes narrowed with contempt

9. felt (one’s) temper flare

10. gave a withering stare

11. seething with rage

12. felt the veins in (one’s) neck throbbing

13. arms folded in anger

14. veins in (one’s) neck bulging

15. thundered

16. face contorted with rage

17. boiling with rage

18. glared angrily

19. fuming with anger

20. blew (one’s) top

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 120 WAYS TO DESCRIBE CHARACTERS’ FEELINGS

FEAR, TERROR AND SHOCK

1. stood rooted to the ground / spot

2. paralysed with fear

3. face turned pale

4. broke out in cold sweat

5. eyes widened in fear / terror / shock

6. hair stood on ends

7. screamed (one’s) head off

8. jaw dropped

9. trembling with fear

10. body stiffened

11. mouth agape

12. frozen with terror

13. heart almost stopped beating

14. stomach turned to ice

15. eyes wild with fear

16. terror gripped (one’s) heart

17. heart missed / skipped a beat

18. stunned and speechless

19. blood drained from (one’s) face

20. hands trembling

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 120 WAYS TO DESCRIBE CHARACTERS’ FEELINGS

ANXIETY

1. heart pounding wildly

2. hands turned cold and clammy

3. sick with anxiety

4. too restless to… / sat restlessly…

5. in a state of panic

6. felt butterflies in (one’s) stomach

7. beads of perspiration trickled down / formed on (one’s) forehead

8. hear (one’s) heart throbbing loudly

9. pacing up and down anxiously

10. a bundle of nerves

11. fidgeting in (one’s) seat

12. swallowed a lump in (one’s) throat

13. felt (one’s) stomach churning

14. voice quavering in anxiety

15. bit (one’s) nails nervously

16. heart palpitating wildly

WORRY

1. face grew pensive

2. face haggard with worry

3. brows furrowed

4. tossed and turned in (one’s) bed

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 120 WAYS TO DESCRIBE CHARACTERS’ FEELINGS
RELIEF

1. felt a huge load off (one’s) mind

2. heaved a sigh of relief

3. let out a breath of relief

4. worry disappeared from (one’s) face

TIREDNESS

1. rubbed (one’s) weary eyes

2. dozed off

3. eyelids grew heavy

4. collapsed in exhaustion

5. dragged (one’s) feet in exhaustion

6. worn out with fatigue

7. rubbed (one’s) bloodshot eyes

8. stifled a yawn

PAIN

1. cried in excruciating pain

2. forehead beaded with perspiration

3. gasped in pain

4. grimaced in pain

5. bent over in pain

6. groaned in agony

7. sharp pain seared through

8. writhing in agony / pain

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 APPLYING THESE DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES IN COMPOSITIONS
Here are examples of how some of my students have applied these descriptive
phrases in their compositions, to show and not tell their characters’ feelings. It is clear
that this writing technique is great in helping to paint a vivid picture in readers’ minds.
The correct use of these descriptive phrases has made their compositions more
interesting. Don’t you think so?

I looked from the car window towards the beach. My heart sank.
Because of the harsh weather, my family and I could not stay at the
beach any longer. I thought about the warm, golden sand. Me burying
my feet in it. I thought about waves I could swim in. I choked in tears as
we made our way home.
- Adel, Primary 2

While Jane was walking, she fell. She cried out in excruciating pain.
Blood oozed out of a gaping wound on her knee. Clenching her teeth,
she frowned in agony. Beads of perspiration formed on her forehead as
she tried to sit up. She felt that she was in an abyss of pain.
- Jasper, Primary 2

She groaned in agony as she took out a piece of tissue paper and wiped
away the blood. She got up and walked home slowly and still could feel
the stabbing pain on her hand.
- Ryan, Primary 3

Mrs Tan’s house was engulfed in flames and thick, black smoke was in the
air. Her eyes were wild with fear and terror gripped her heart. She ran to
her window and screamed in terror.
- Qing Yi, Primary 3

To my dismay, when I reached the tree, Barky was nowhere in sight!

Instead, I saw Barky’s leash unfastened. With my heart pounding, I
searched the whole park but to no avail. Wretched with grief, I headed
home with a heavy heart.
- Ayden, Primary 4
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 I hope you find this free resource helpful.

To see examples of how each of these 120 phrases are used in

sentences, check out the
SHOW NOT TELL FEELINGS REFERENCE WORKBOOK.

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