Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 514 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aryan was bored.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Priya was sad. (c) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha was tired. (b) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Rohan was angry.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Zoya was scared. (c) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Vihaan was hungry. (c) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (b) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Kabir was sad.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Manav was bored.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Simran was scared.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan was tired.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.

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