Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 481 · 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?
   “Neel was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Maria was sad.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Kavya was angry.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Saanvi was sad.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Maria was angry. (c) Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Simran was tired.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Yash was happy.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing

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