Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 660 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha was sad. (b) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Pooja was angry.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Maria was tired.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) cold
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Nisha was bored.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kavya was hungry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Kabir was cold. (c) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing

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