Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 261 · 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?
   “Neel felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Imran was tired.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav was happy.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sahil was happy.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Imran was sad.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tenzin was angry. (c) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya was hungry. (b) Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sahil was hungry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored

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