Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 882 · 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?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Ishaan was sad. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Arjun was hungry.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha was tired. (b) Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Nisha was scared. (c) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan was cold. (b) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Simran was bored.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing

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