Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 760 · 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?
   “Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir was angry.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Nisha was tired.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Manav was sad.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ishaan was angry.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Tara was sad. (c) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Rohan was happy.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”

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