Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 174 · 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?
   “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Diya was angry.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Yash was tired.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun was sad.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aryan was bored. (c) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav was cold. (b) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Neel was happy. (c) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Riya was tired.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy

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