Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 745 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Tenzin was tired. (c) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Joseph was angry. (c) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Rohan was cold.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Farhan was cold. (c) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran was cold. (b) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin was cold. (b) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Manav was cold.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Joseph was tired.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry

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