Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 615 · 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?
   “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Rohan was angry.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.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.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Priya was sad. (c) Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ananya was hungry.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kavya was bored.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav was bored. (b) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired

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