Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 845 · 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?
   “Fatima was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Tara was bored.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tenzin was angry.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Kavya was sad.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Pooja was happy.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sneha was cold.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Imran was cold.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Dev was tired.

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