Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 738 · 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 Joseph is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Diya was bored. (c) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Imran was cold. (c) Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Diya was hungry.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Zoya was angry. (c) Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kabir was scared.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Tenzin was tired.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tara was tired. (c) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir was happy.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan was happy. (b) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry

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