Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 234 · 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 Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran was scared. (b) Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (c) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Imran was sad.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tara was angry. (c) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling

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