Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 46 · 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 scared? (a) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Joseph was scared.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Saanvi was angry.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan was happy. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja was bored. (b) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Maria was angry.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Yash was scared.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Sneha was hungry. (c) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav was angry.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav was scared. (b) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

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