Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 320 · 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?
   “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) bored
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Farhan was bored. (c) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya was bored. (b) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Nisha was scared.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Saanvi was happy.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Riya was hungry. (c) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared

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