Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 117 · 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?
   “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Priya was hungry.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Priya was scared. (c) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired

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