Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 109 · 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?
   “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Vihaan was hungry. (c) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil was scared. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav was angry. (b) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Pooja was sad.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin was cold. (b) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) bored
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek. (b) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Sneha was angry.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aryan was sad.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran was scared. (b) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.

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