Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 680 · 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 Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Maria was tired.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya was tired. (b) Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Manav was bored. (c) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Neel was tired. (c) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) angry
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja was hungry.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Diya was happy.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared

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