Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 638 · 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?
   “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Ananya was scared.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Kabir was sad.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya was happy.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran was scared. (b) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Zoya was tired.

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