Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 148 · 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?
   “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Riya was hungry.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Rohan was tired.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Saanvi was angry.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (c) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ananya was tired.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera was scared. (c) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Maria was scared.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Diya was happy.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Arjun was bored.

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