Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 375 · 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 hungry? (a) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tara was hungry. (c) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Nisha was hungry.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Arjun was scared.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran was tired. (b) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Simran was tired.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Manav was cold.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ishaan was happy.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran was hungry. (b) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan was happy. (b) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Manav was tired.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Nisha was sad.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) tired
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran was angry.

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