Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 227 · 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 Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (c) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Farhan was sad. (c) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Meera was angry.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran was angry. (b) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Joseph was bored. (c) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry

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