Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 9 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek. (b) Sneha was bored. (c) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Aarav was cold.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek. (c) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Pooja was hungry.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya was sad.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha was angry. (b) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored

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