Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 99 · 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?
   “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Farhan was bored. (c) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Yash was hungry. (c) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Riya was scared.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya was bored.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aarav was scared.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aarav was sad.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Rohan was cold.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph was tired.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Sneha was happy. (c) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Sahil was sad. (c) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry

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