Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 607 · 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?
   “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Aarav was tired.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Zoya was happy.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Pooja was angry. (c) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria was tired. (b) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aryan was angry.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Diya was tired.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Riya was cold.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad

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