Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 841 · 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?
   “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) scared
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) angry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Joseph was bored. (c) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) angry
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Kavya was tired.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Yash was tired. (c) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Riya was hungry. (c) Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha was cold. (b) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad

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