Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 942 · 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?
   “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph was tired.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Diya was bored.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Fatima was cold.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan was bored. (b) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha was cold. (b) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Simran was angry.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ishaan was happy.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Imran was tired.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sneha was happy.

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