Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 244 · 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?
   “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (b) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Riya was sad.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Pooja was scared.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Neel was tired.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan was hungry. (b) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan was tired.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Sneha was scared.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Sahil was sad.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Farhan was angry.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Saanvi was sad.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Kavya was bored. (c) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel was hungry. (b) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja was bored. (b) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.

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