Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 128 · 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?
   “Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek. (c) Pooja was hungry.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was sad.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Aarav was sad.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Aisha was angry.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Joseph was hungry. (c) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha was angry. (b) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Diya was scared. (c) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph was bored. (b) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Diya was tired.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan was angry. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Fatima was tired. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Ananya was cold.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Yash was sad. (c) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.

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