Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 41 · 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?
   “Tenzin was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
9. 9.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 beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir was tired. (c) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya was angry. (b) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Priya was cold.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha was tired. (b) Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) cold
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav was angry.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Arjun was cold.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir was tired. (b) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Yash was angry.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Yash was cold.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling

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