Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 567 · 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?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) sad
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Rohan was sad.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sneha was happy.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Joseph was angry. (c) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Yash was happy.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya was sad. (b) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Maria was angry.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Imran was angry. (c) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha was hungry. (b) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria was tired. (b) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil was angry.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Yash was hungry.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy

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