Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 322 · 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?
   “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Priya was bored.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Rohan was happy. (c) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Fatima was bored. (c) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima was sad. (b) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) cold
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Neel was hungry.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Arjun was bored.

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