Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 1 · 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?
   “Kavya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Arjun was happy.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Rohan was tired.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Vihaan was sad.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Arjun was bored.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Diya was happy.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Sahil was cold. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Diya was bored. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav was angry. (c) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Vihaan was bored.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Kavya was angry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Sahil was sad. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad

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