Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 414 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Kabir was cold.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya was cold. (b) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Maria was happy.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Zoya was cold.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Vihaan was hungry.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Neel was hungry.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Manav was angry.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Maria was scared. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Maria was bored. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Diya was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel was hungry. (b) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Yash was angry. (c) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

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