Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 23 · 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 Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tara was bored.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Diya was angry.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek. (b) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Imran was happy.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav was bored. (c) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) cold
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph was sad.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan was hungry.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aarav was tired. (c) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tenzin was scared.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Nisha was bored. (c) Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry

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