Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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