Meaning & use
shows emotion
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Lets other people see what you are feeling, through face, voice, or actions.
Grammar: A verb plus object; use 'shows' with he/she/it and 'show' with I/you/we/they.
Patterns
- shows emotion openly
- show emotion about something
- shows little emotion
He rarely shows emotion, even when he is upset.
The child shows emotion freely when she is happy.
Good actors can show emotion without saying a word.
phrasefixed phrase
Reveals a feeling in a work of art, a face, or a performance.
Grammar: Often used about faces in pictures, music, or writing.
Patterns
- shows emotion in something
Her voice shows emotion in the final verse.
The painting shows emotion through its strong colors.
Common combinations
- show no emotion
- He listened to the news and showed no emotion.
- show emotion openly
- She shows emotion openly, laughing and crying easily.
- struggle to show emotion
- Some people struggle to show emotion in public.
- show emotion in your voice
- You could hear him show emotion in his voice.
Synonyms and how they differ
- express feelings
- Broader and often more deliberate; 'shows emotion' focuses on what others can see.
- display emotion
- More formal and slightly scientific, often about behavior being observed.
Opposites
Word family
- emotional adjective
- Having or causing strong feelings.
- emotion noun
- A feeling such as anger, fear, or joy.
- emotionless adjective
- Showing no feelings at all.
Commonly confused: shows emotion or shows motion?
shows emotion vs shows motion
'Motion' means movement; 'emotion' means feeling, so the meanings are quite different.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses the phrase correctly.
Choose one answer.
'By' introduces the way emotion is shown. 'Of', 'for', and 'at' do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shows emotion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.