Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 142 · 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?
   “Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan was cold. (b) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Priya was happy.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir was tired. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Vihaan was scared. (c) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph was cold. (c) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Manav was tired.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling

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