Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 539 · 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?
   “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan was hungry. (b) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Aryan was hungry.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Vihaan was scared. (c) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Pooja was angry.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya was angry. (b) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran was angry. (b) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.

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