Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 163 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya was angry. (b) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja was sad. (b) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Kavya was scared.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Diya was angry.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aarav was bored.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Fatima was scared.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Tenzin was tired.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Simran was scared.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (b) Ishaan was sad. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing

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