Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 480 · 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?
   “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kavya was angry.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima was scared. (b) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan was scared. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (c) Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Neel was angry.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Diya was angry.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Aisha was tired.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Dev was bored.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (b) Kavya was hungry. (c) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry

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