Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 635 · 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?
   “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Diya was tired. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Manav was happy.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha was bored. (b) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Diya was happy.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kabir was tired.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy

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