Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 900 · 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.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Sneha was scared.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha was cold. (b) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek. (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel was sad.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Sneha was cold.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya was bored. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kabir was bored.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ishaan was bored.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Riya was scared.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy

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