Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 48 · 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 Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Zoya was hungry.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Tenzin was tired. (c) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha was bored. (b) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya was bored. (c) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Rohan was tired.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Yash was scared.

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