Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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