Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 385 · 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?
   “Manav was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Priya was tired.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil was bored. (b) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Vihaan was hungry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan was scared. (b) Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (c) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.

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