Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 88 · 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?
   “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Simran was scared.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Maria was scared. (c) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav was angry. (b) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Yash was sad.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Dev was cold.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Ishaan was angry.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya was happy. (b) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing

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