Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 609 · 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?
   “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) hungry
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Tara was hungry. (c) Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir was tired. (b) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Farhan was angry. (c) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Riya was cold.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Tenzin was cold.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Simran was angry.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aryan was sad.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry

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