Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 853 · 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?
   “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Tara was scared.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya was bored.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Sahil was sad. (c) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Maria was angry. (c) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Vihaan was bored. (c) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Rohan was bored.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha was tired. (b) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kavya was bored.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Nisha was happy. (c) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.

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