Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 12 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tara was bored.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Dev was happy. (c) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Simran was happy.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin was scared. (b) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Nisha was hungry. (c) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Priya was happy. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara was happy.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Meera was happy.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kavya was tired. (c) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.

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