Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 166 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Riya was tired. (c) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Priya was hungry.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha was tired. (b) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Vihaan was angry. (c) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tara was bored.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Neel was bored.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Ishaan was happy.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir was scared.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Saanvi was hungry. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored

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