Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 773 · 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?
   “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Riya was bored. (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Yash was cold.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Vihaan was tired. (c) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Kavya was angry. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Simran was happy.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi was angry.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Manav was hungry.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling

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