Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 200 · 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?
   “Pooja felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev was bored. (b) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Vihaan was cold. (c) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Tenzin was bored.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (c) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Zoya was bored.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Aarav was scared.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya was bored.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored

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