Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 804 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Maria was angry.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha was sad. (b) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Tenzin was angry.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha was hungry. (b) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Kabir was sad.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Dev was bored. (c) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sahil was happy.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Pooja was hungry.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Simran was angry.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) sad
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Fatima was angry.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil was cold.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir was happy.

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