Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 338 · 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 Kabir is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Riya was angry.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Simran was sad. (c) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Aisha was cold. (c) Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya was tired. (b) Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan was cold. (b) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran was angry. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tara was cold.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan was angry. (b) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek. (b) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Simran was hungry.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Aarav was tired.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aisha was bored.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav was angry.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Aisha was happy.

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