Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 211 · 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?
   “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan was scared. (b) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek. (b) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Pooja was sad.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Neel was angry. (c) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Joseph was scared.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Kabir was scared.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kabir was bored.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Diya was bored. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav was scared. (c) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (b) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Saanvi was happy.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Vihaan was hungry.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Fatima was tired.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry

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