Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 62 · 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?
   “Saanvi felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Priya was bored.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Tara was sad.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya was hungry.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (b) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Nisha was happy.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Neel was hungry.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kabir was scared.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (c) Kabir was sad.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Yash was bored.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored

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