Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 130 · 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?
   “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Priya was hungry.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Dev was scared.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (c) Riya was sad.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Meera was bored.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ananya was bored.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Meera was cold.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil was scared. (c) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing

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