Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 593 · 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?
   “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Sneha was scared.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Rohan was sad.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Fatima was happy.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Kavya was hungry. (c) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Fatima was scared.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Saanvi was hungry.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Zoya was scared.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored

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