Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 319 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Meera was angry.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Sneha was hungry. (c) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Simran was scared. (c) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) angry
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aisha was happy.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Saanvi was happy.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Aarav was tired. (c) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Joseph was happy. (c) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tara was tired. (c) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Vihaan was tired. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.

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