Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 342 · 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 Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara was tired. (b) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Tara was sad. (c) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Diya was bored. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) hungry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya was bored. (b) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (c) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (b) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aryan was sad.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry

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