Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 217 · 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?
   “Ishaan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Pooja was angry.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Yash was scared. (c) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil was cold.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Priya was hungry. (c) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (c) Aarav was sad.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Priya was happy. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Neel was happy. (c) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.

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