Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 361 · 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 Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Joseph was angry. (c) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ishaan was cold.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Rohan was sad.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran was happy.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek. (c) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Saanvi was angry.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Nisha was bored.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran was tired. (b) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Vihaan was scared.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) hungry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Yash was angry. (c) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) tired
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Meera was sad.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan was cold. (b) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling

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