Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 570 · 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 Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Priya was cold.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Aisha was angry.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Vihaan was hungry. (c) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Joseph was sad.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran was happy. (b) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Meera was happy.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Maria was sad.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan was cold. (b) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Diya was angry.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry

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