Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 182 · 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?
   “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Joseph was sad.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Diya was scared.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan was hungry.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Zoya was scared. (c) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sneha was tired. (c) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera was cold. (b) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling

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