Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 293 · 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?
   “Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Dev was happy. (c) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Diya was hungry.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan was tired. (b) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (c) Arjun was sad.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek. (c) Meera was sad.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Kavya was hungry. (c) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored

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