Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 504 · 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?
   “Aarav was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aarav was tired. (c) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Kabir was cold. (c) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Sahil was hungry. (c) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tara was cold.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Pooja was cold.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Joseph was cold. (c) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Sneha was scared. (c) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Yash was cold.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tenzin was tired.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Imran was scared.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya was sad. (b) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Priya was bored.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek. (b) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Sahil was sad.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored

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