Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 794 · 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?
   “Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun was angry.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ishaan was scared.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya was angry. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aryan was sad. (c) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Rohan was hungry.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran was cold. (b) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared

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