Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 176 · 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?
   “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Sneha was angry. (c) Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) cold
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Aryan was cold.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (b) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Ishaan was sad.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph was scared. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya was hungry. (b) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (c) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran was angry. (b) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin was scared. (b) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek. (c) Aisha was angry.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Rohan was tired.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya was bored. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.

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