Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 19 · 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.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Ishaan was angry.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Sahil was tired. (c) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Simran was sad. (c) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aisha was cold.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Farhan was cold.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Ishaan was happy.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Nisha was angry.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Ishaan was angry.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Meera was hungry.

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