Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 133 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aryan was hungry. (c) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Sneha was angry.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (b) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Vihaan was sad.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Tenzin was cold.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Zoya was sad.

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