Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 213 · 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.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan was tired. (b) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sahil was happy.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara was tired.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sneha was tired.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Manav was cold.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Joseph was bored. (c) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.

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