Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 104 · 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?
   “Tenzin was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Joseph was scared. (c) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan was happy. (b) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Aisha was sad.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) hungry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Sneha was bored. (c) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun was sad.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kavya was hungry.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav was cold. (b) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Aryan was cold.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry

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