Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 121 · 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?
   “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Yash was angry.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ishaan was cold.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav was angry. (b) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Riya was angry. (c) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Aryan was hungry. (c) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Neel was happy.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (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) tired
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling

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