Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 820 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima was scared. (b) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kavya was happy.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran was cold. (b) Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Diya was angry.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aryan was happy.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Riya was cold.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Fatima was happy.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Yash was happy.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Zoya was scared.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Farhan was sad. (c) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry

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