Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 550 · 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 Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Vihaan was sad.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Diya was bored.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Ishaan was scared.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tenzin was tired. (c) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya was bored.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Imran was tired. (c) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling

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