Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 696 · 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 Yash is sad? (a) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Yash was sad. (c) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash was tired. (b) Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (c) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Ananya was scared.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Pooja was hungry. (c) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry

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