Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 122 · 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?
   “Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Pooja was angry. (c) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Riya was hungry.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Tara was hungry.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Dev was happy.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Manav was scared. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Riya was angry.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Vihaan was cold. (c) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan was tired. (b) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired

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