Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 656 · 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?
   “Sneha was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel was hungry. (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Arjun was bored.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Sneha was tired.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sahil was tired.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Sneha was bored. (c) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) tired
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Fatima was happy.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Ananya was bored. (c) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold

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