Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 674 · 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 Neel is tired? (a) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Neel was tired. (c) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya was tired. (b) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Neel was happy.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aryan was cold. (c) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Joseph was angry.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Joseph was bored. (c) Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Imran was tired. (c) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Joseph was angry.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) tired
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi was bored.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.

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