Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 510 · 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?
   “Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Kabir was tired. (c) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel was hungry. (b) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek. (b) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Zoya was tired.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.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 beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Sneha was tired.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Vihaan was sad. (c) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya was bored. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Aisha was scared.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Simran was tired.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing

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