Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 460 · 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?
   “Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kavya was tired. (c) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Saanvi was hungry. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was happy.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Kavya was tired. (c) Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared

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