Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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