Show, don’t tell

Here’s a clear and practical guide on Show, Don’t Tell for primary school composition writing.
What is “Show, Don’t Tell”?
Tell = Directly stating how someone feels or what is happening.
Show = Using actions, descriptions, dialogue, or senses to let the reader feel the emotion or scene.
Showing makes your writing more vivid, interesting, and mature — which helps you score better in compositions.

“She was sad” tells.

“She sat quietly with her head down and wiped her eyes” shows.

Quick Tips for Primary School Students
Tip	Explanation
Use actions	Instead of “She was angry”, show her clenching her fists or slamming the door.
Use senses	Describe what the character sees, hears, feels, or smells.
Use dialogue	Let characters speak to show their feelings.
Use body language	Describe how the character moves or stands.
Avoid overusing “very”	Instead of “very happy”, use strong verbs or similes.

Find the feeling in the Tell column, then borrow the Show sentence and change the name to fit your story. Actions, a small sound, or a line of speech are enough. You do not need to show every feeling. One clear picture in a paragraph is stronger than a list of emotion words.

1. Showing Happiness (1–15)

No.	Tell Version	Show Version
1	She was happy.	She grinned from ear to ear and clapped her hands excitedly.
2	He felt happy.	His eyes lit up and he skipped all the way home.
3	They were very happy.	They jumped up and down and hugged each other tightly.
4	She was overjoyed.	She let out a loud cheer and spun around in circles.
5	He was delighted.	A big smile spread across his face as he held the gift.
6	She felt joyful.	She sang softly to herself while walking down the corridor.
7	He was in a good mood.	He whistled a cheerful tune as he entered the classroom.
8	She was thrilled.	She bounced on her toes and could not stop smiling.
9	He felt proud.	He stood taller and puffed out his chest with a big smile.
10	She was beaming.	Her face glowed as she showed her certificate to her parents.
11	He was pleased.	He nodded happily and gave a thumbs-up to his friend.
12	She felt content.	She let out a satisfied sigh and leaned back in her chair.
13	He was over the moon.	He ran around the house shouting, “I can’t believe it!”
14	She was on cloud nine.	She kept looking at her new watch and smiling to herself.
15	He felt joyful inside.	A warm feeling spread through his chest as he watched his friends play.

2. Showing Sadness (16–30)

No.	Tell Version	Show Version
16	She was sad.	She sat quietly with her head down and wiped her eyes.
17	He felt sad.	His shoulders slumped and he stared at the floor.
18	They were very sad.	They walked slowly with heavy steps and spoke in soft voices.
19	She was heartbroken.	She held the torn photo and blinked back her tears.
20	He was upset.	He sat alone on the bench and kicked at the ground.
21	She felt miserable.	She hugged her knees and rested her chin on them.
22	He was down.	He dragged his feet and let out a long sigh.
23	She was disappointed.	She bit her lip and looked away to hide her tears.
24	He felt lonely.	He sat by the window and watched other children playing outside.
25	She was in low spirits.	She forced a small smile but her eyes looked empty.
26	He was crestfallen.	His face fell and he slowly put his prize back into the box.
27	She felt empty inside.	She stared blankly at her food without touching it.
28	He was sorrowful.	He spoke in a quiet, shaky voice and avoided eye contact.
29	She was dejected.	She walked with her head bowed and her arms hanging loosely by her sides.
30	He felt crushed.	He covered his face with his hands and stayed silent for a long time.

3. Showing Anger (31–45)

No.	Tell Version	Show Version
31	She was angry.	She clenched her fists tightly and her face turned red.
32	He felt angry.	He slammed his book on the table and glared at his brother.
33	She was furious.	She spoke through gritted teeth and pointed her finger at him.
34	He was mad.	He kicked the chair and stormed out of the room.
35	She was annoyed.	She rolled her eyes and let out a loud sigh.
36	He was irritated.	He tapped his fingers on the table and frowned deeply.
37	She was fuming.	She paced up and down the room with her arms crossed.
38	He was seething.	His jaw tightened and he refused to look at anyone.
39	She lost her temper.	She raised her voice and threw her pencil across the room.
40	He was boiling with anger.	His face turned red and he shouted at the top of his voice.
41	She was outraged.	She stood up suddenly and stared at him in disbelief.
42	He was resentful.	He muttered under his breath and refused to help.
43	She was cross.	She folded her arms tightly and tapped her foot impatiently.
44	He was in a rage.	He threw his bag on the floor and kicked it hard.
45	She was indignant.	She raised her chin and spoke in a sharp, cold voice.

4. Showing Fear / Nervousness (46–60)

No.	Tell Version	Show Version
46	She was scared.	Her hands trembled and she took a step backwards.
47	He felt nervous.	He kept biting his nails and shifting from one foot to the other.
48	She was terrified.	Her eyes widened and she clutched her bag tightly to her chest.
49	He was frightened.	He hid behind the door and held his breath.
50	She was anxious.	She kept looking at the clock and tapping her fingers on the desk.
51	He was worried.	He paced up and down the room while checking his phone.
52	She was panicking.	She ran her fingers through her hair and spoke quickly.
53	He was shaking with fear.	His knees felt weak and he could not stop his hands from shaking.
54	She was uneasy.	She kept glancing over her shoulder as she walked.
55	He was on edge.	He jumped at every small sound and looked around nervously.
56	She was tense.	Her shoulders were stiff and she spoke in a quiet voice.
57	He was dreading it.	He kept sighing and staring at the floor.
58	She was frozen with fear.	She stood completely still and could not move her legs.
59	He was sweating with fear.	Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he waited.
60	She was scared stiff.	She gripped the edge of the table so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

5. Showing Excitement (61–75)

No.	Tell Version	Show Version
61	He was excited.	He could not sit still and kept asking, “When are we going?”
62	She felt excited.	She bounced on her toes and clapped her hands together.
63	They were very excited.	They talked loudly and could not stop smiling at each other.
64	He was thrilled.	He ran around the house shouting with joy.
65	She was over the moon.	She hugged her mother tightly and spun around in circles.
66	He was on cloud nine.	He kept looking at his new watch and smiling to himself.
67	She was bursting with excitement.	She kept jumping up and down and could not stop talking.
68	He was eager.	He leaned forward in his seat and stared at the door.
69	She was impatient.	She kept checking the time and tapping her foot.
70	He was full of energy.	He ran around the playground and could not stop moving.
71	She was looking forward to it.	She kept talking about the trip and counting down the days.
72	He was pumped up.	He punched the air and shouted, “Yes!”
73	She was buzzing with excitement.	She spoke very fast and her eyes were sparkling.
74	He was hyped.	He kept high-fiving his friends and laughing loudly.
75	She was ecstatic.	She screamed and jumped into her mother’s arms.

6. Showing Kindness & Caring (76–85).

No.	Tell Version	Show Version
76	She was kind.	She helped the old lady carry her heavy bags.
77	He was caring.	He stayed back to help his friend finish the project.
78	She showed kindness.	She sat with the new student and shared her snacks with him.
79	He was helpful.	He picked up the books that had fallen on the floor.
80	She was thoughtful.	She remembered her friend’s favourite drink and bought it for her.
81	He was generous.	He gave his only pencil to a classmate who forgot to bring one.
82	She was compassionate.	She gently patted her friend’s back when she was crying.
83	He was considerate.	He lowered his voice when he saw his baby sister sleeping.
84	She was supportive.	She cheered loudly for her friend during the race.
85	He was empathetic.	He listened quietly and nodded when his friend shared his problems.

7. Showing Tiredness (86–92)

No.	Tell Version	Show Version
86	He was tired.	He dragged his feet and yawned loudly.
87	She felt exhausted.	She collapsed onto the sofa and closed her eyes immediately.
88	They were very tired.	Their shoulders drooped and they spoke in slow voices.
89	He was worn out.	He rubbed his eyes and could barely keep them open.
90	She was drained.	She let out a long sigh and rested her head on the table.
91	He felt sleepy.	His head kept nodding forward as he tried to stay awake.
92	She was fatigued.	She walked slowly and leaned against the wall for support.

8. Showing Surprise / Shock (93–100)

No.	Tell Version	Show Version
93	She was surprised.	Her eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock.
94	He was shocked.	He took a step back and stared at the scene in front of him.
95	They were amazed.	They gasped and pointed at the beautiful fireworks.
96	She was stunned.	She stood frozen and could not say a word.
97	He was taken aback.	He blinked several times and shook his head in disbelief.
98	She was astonished.	She covered her mouth with her hands and stared.
99	He was speechless.	His mouth hung open and he could not find the words to reply.
100	She was in disbelief.	She kept repeating, “No way!” and shaking her head.