Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 301 · 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?
   “Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Farhan was happy.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav was bored. (b) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Priya was hungry. (c) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan was angry. (b) Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.

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