Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 383 · 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 Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Sahil was tired.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Ananya was angry.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Farhan was sad.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Saanvi was happy.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara was cold. (b) Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Imran was hungry.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Maria was sad.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran was happy. (b) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold

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