Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 399 · 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 Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir was tired. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Aisha was angry.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir was tired. (c) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Arjun was bored.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Aisha was happy.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Simran was hungry.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

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