Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 758 · 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?
   “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Neel was hungry.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya was sad.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Tara was cold. (c) Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran was scared. (b) Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Meera was angry.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Zoya was sad.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Joseph was happy. (c) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Sahil was cold. (c) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Imran was scared. (c) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Yash was tired.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Yash was hungry. (c) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.

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