Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 360 · 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 Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir was tired. (b) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Arjun was scared.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (c) Farhan was scared.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha was bored. (b) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Yash was bored.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Neel was tired. (c) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Neel was angry. (c) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran was angry. (b) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Sneha was happy.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Simran was hungry. (c) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.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.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing

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