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English · Writing craft

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Show, don't tell.

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What does 'Show, don't tell' mean?

Writers create pictures in readers' minds. Instead of saying 'The dog was happy,' show it: 'The dog wagged its tail and jumped up and down.' Readers see the action and feel the happiness themselves. Showing uses details – what you see, hear, smell, taste or touch.

How to turn telling into showing

Look for boring words like 'sad,' 'angry,' 'nice' or 'scary.' Ask yourself: what would someone see or hear? A sad person might have tears rolling down their cheeks. An angry person might clench their fists. Replace the feeling word with actions, sounds or sights.

Use your senses

Strong writing includes details from different senses. What does the place sound like? What does the air smell like? Does something feel rough or smooth? Senses help readers imagine they are really there. Choose one or two sense details for each sentence.

Keep it simple and clear

You don't need fancy words to show instead of tell. Simple actions work brilliantly. 'She smiled' is better than 'she was happy.' 'He slammed the door' is better than 'he was angry.' Clear, strong verbs do the hard work for you.

Worked examples

  1. 1. Improve this sentence: The room was messy.

    1. The word 'messy' tells us, but doesn't show what messy looks like.
    2. Think: what would you see in a messy room?
    3. Showing version: Clothes covered the floor and books spilled off the shelves.

  2. 2. Improve this sentence: The cake was delicious.

    1. 'Delicious' tells the reader, but doesn't help them taste or imagine it.
    2. Use senses: what does delicious taste or look like?
    3. Showing version: The chocolate cake melted on my tongue, rich and sweet.

  3. 3. Improve this sentence: The old man was tired.

    1. 'Tired' is a telling word. What does a tired person do?
    2. Show actions or appearance that reveal tiredness.
    3. Showing version: The old man's shoulders sagged and his eyes drooped shut.

Try it yourself

Rewrite this sentence to show, not tell: The garden was beautiful.

Ready to test yourself?

Take a short topic test — every question maps to a syllabus point so you’ll see exactly which parts you’ve mastered.