Meaning & use
external acting
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
A style of acting that emphasizes outward physical gestures and expressions rather than inner emotion.
Grammar: Uncountable: use external acting, not an external acting.
Patterns
- use external acting
- external acting techniques
The director asked for more external acting, with bigger gestures and clear facial expressions.
In some theatrical traditions, external acting is valued more than psychological realism.
Common combinations
- external acting style
- His external acting style was perfect for the broad comedy.
- external acting techniques
- The workshop focused on external acting techniques like posture and voice.
- rely on external acting
- The play requires the actors to rely on external acting rather than subtle emotion.
Synonyms and how they differ
- technical acting
- Technical acting emphasizes precise control of voice and body; external acting is broader and focuses on outward expression.
Opposites
Commonly confused: external acting or method acting?
external acting vs method acting
Method acting is an internal approach where actors draw on personal emotions; external acting is the opposite, focusing on physical expression.
Practice
What does 'external acting' refer to?
Choose one answer.
External acting is about outward physical expression, not location or medium. Option 1 is a literal misinterpretation of 'external'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “external acting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.