Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 531 · 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?
   “Sahil was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Joseph was angry.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Joseph was happy. (c) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Neel was tired. (c) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ishaan was angry.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya was happy.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan was sad.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Nisha was bored. (c) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha was scared. (b) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared

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