Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 241 · 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?
   “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha was sad. (b) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Arjun was sad.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Vihaan was cold.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Sneha was tired. (c) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha was cold. (b) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Pooja was hungry.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Priya was sad.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya was scared. (b) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry

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