Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 846 · 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 sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Manav was angry. (c) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Maria was tired.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Maria was cold. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tara was tired. (c) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Joseph was cold. (c) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya was tired. (b) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Ishaan was tired.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Manav was scared. (c) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) angry

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