Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 748 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Simran was scared.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (c) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Aarav was scared.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Neel was angry.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (b) Tara was tired. (c) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Maria was scared. (c) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Saanvi was bored.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Saanvi was bored. (c) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya was angry. (b) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sahil was happy.

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