Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 815 · 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 Riya is angry? (a) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Riya was angry.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) bored (c) tired
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Ananya was scared.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Imran was happy.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi was bored.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ananya was cold.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha was hungry. (b) Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (c) Tenzin was cold.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad

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