Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 368 · 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 Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) tired
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Diya was tired.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya was happy. (c) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Fatima was hungry. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Simran was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling

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