Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 800 · 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 Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Imran was hungry.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (b) Riya was angry. (c) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (b) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kavya was hungry.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Dev was happy. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ishaan was happy.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Aarav was angry.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Meera was scared.

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