Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 193 · 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?
   “Nisha was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Zoya was angry.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Vihaan was sad.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav was cold. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) tired

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