Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 475 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Sneha was sad. (c) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Neel was angry.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Imran was scared.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Nisha was cold.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aryan was bored.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (c) Rohan was angry.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Rohan was happy.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Rohan was bored.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Kavya was happy.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan was tired. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry

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