Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 899 · 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?
   “Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Rohan was happy.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Nisha was angry.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Riya was bored. (c) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Simran was hungry. (c) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan was bored. (c) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry

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