Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 403 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Kavya was angry. (c) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Farhan was cold. (c) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Joseph was hungry. (c) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha was tired. (b) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Rohan was sad.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ananya was bored.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Kabir was cold. (c) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (b) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Rohan was sad.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Yash was bored.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Imran was happy.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared

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