Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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