Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 243 · 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 Imran is happy? (a) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Vihaan was sad. (c) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Joseph was sad.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) angry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya was sad.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Aisha was happy. (c) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Maria was sad.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.

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