Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 744 · 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 Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Rohan was tired.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Joseph was happy.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Zoya was hungry.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Dev was scared.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Saanvi was bored.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Pooja was angry.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Joseph was tired.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Manav was scared.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared

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