Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 629 · 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?
   “Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya was tired. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Diya was tired. (c) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Yash was happy.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.

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