Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 237 · 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?
   “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi was hungry.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria was hungry. (b) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Kabir was cold.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Maria was sad.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Neel was happy.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Kabir was bored.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Dev was tired.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired

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