Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 173 · 40 questions

Writer's tip (Show the actions): A telling sentence names the feeling: was sad, felt tired. A showing sentence describes actions, faces and bodies: tears, yawns, shaking knees. Pick the showing sentence that fits the right feeling.

1. 1.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Sahil was scared.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Manav was scared.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Aarav was tired. (c) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aisha was scared. (c) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera was cold. (b) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Kabir was cold. (c) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Diya was happy.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Sahil was angry.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kavya was tired. (c) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Sneha was hungry.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing

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