Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 317 · 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?
   “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya was sad. (c) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Saanvi was scared.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aryan was sad.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Yash was angry. (c) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Vihaan was angry.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Maria was sad.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Meera was cold.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Simran was scared.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Imran was scared. (c) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Rohan was hungry.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Sneha was hungry.

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