Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 196 · 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?
   “Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Imran was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Nisha was angry. (c) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Simran was sad.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Neel was hungry.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Vihaan was cold. (c) Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Joseph was happy.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy

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