Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 763 · 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?
   “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Arjun was angry.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Yash was sad.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Neel was tired.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya was scared. (b) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Imran was hungry.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Imran was happy.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Manav was angry. (c) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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