Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 81 · 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?
   “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran was scared. (b) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Aarav was scared.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tenzin was bored.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya was cold. (b) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Neel was cold.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Farhan was hungry.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing

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