Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 191 · 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?
   “Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Sahil was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Aisha was cold. (c) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Simran was angry.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Simran was hungry. (c) Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Meera was bored.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Ishaan was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Sahil was scared. (c) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry

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