Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 152 · 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?
   “Ananya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Vihaan was happy.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aryan was sad. (c) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kabir was happy.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav was cold. (b) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Riya was tired.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing

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