Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 106 · 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?
   “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Riya was bored. (c) Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Riya was scared.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Priya was happy.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Ananya was cold.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Maria was scared.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Manav was sad.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Neel was bored.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry

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