Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 587 · 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?
   “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (c) Kabir was sad.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Dev was happy. (c) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan was scared.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy

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