Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 136 · 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?
   “Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Sahil was hungry. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ananya was hungry.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha was angry. (b) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Aisha was scared. (c) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.
26. 26.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) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Meera was scared.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kavya was bored.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Imran was angry. (c) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.

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