Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 18 · 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?
   “Tenzin was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tenzin was angry.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) bored
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sneha was hungry.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Imran was scared.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Vihaan was happy.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”

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