Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 488 · 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?
   “Diya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara was cold. (b) Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Imran was scared. (c) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Nisha was tired.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tara was hungry. (c) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ishaan was angry.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Fatima was tired.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Vihaan was scared.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Fatima was tired. (c) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing

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