Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 785 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aisha was angry. (c) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aryan was hungry. (c) Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Meera was happy.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ananya was scared.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (c) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) angry
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav was sad.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Rohan was happy.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Simran was scared.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav was scared. (b) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.

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