Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 256 · 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?
   “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Priya was happy.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja was sad. (b) Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Tara was sad.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Riya was sad.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Zoya was cold. (c) Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (c) Aryan was sad.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Yash was angry.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sahil was scared.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Kabir was cold. (c) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Rohan was cold.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya was tired. (b) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Sneha was happy. (c) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (b) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Saanvi was sad.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling

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