Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 238 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Manav was bored. (c) Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Arjun was angry.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Ishaan was cold.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Priya was tired.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (c) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling

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