Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 552 · 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?
   “Joseph was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Diya was happy.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Pooja was scared.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (b) Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Tara was cold.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aryan was cold.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ananya was sad.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Joseph was sad.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Manav was bored.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Simran was scared. (c) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing

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