Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 110 · 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?
   “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Pooja was hungry. (c) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Imran was hungry.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Pooja was cold. (c) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tenzin was tired.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sahil was angry.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling

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