Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 712 · 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 Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Nisha was scared. (c) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha was angry. (b) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sneha was angry. (c) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Zoya was bored. (c) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Farhan was happy.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria was tired. (b) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Fatima was angry. (c) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing

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