Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 60 · 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 Priya is angry? (a) Priya was angry. (b) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Joseph was bored.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Riya was sad.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Nisha was hungry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Nisha was happy. (c) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Manav was scared.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Vihaan was tired. (c) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Pooja was sad.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry

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