Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 220 · 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?
   “Ishaan was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Tara was cold.
9. 9.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 froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sahil was bored.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan was bored. (b) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Sneha was tired. (c) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Saanvi was scared. (c) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sahil was happy.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.

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