Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 265 · 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 Meera is happy? (a) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav was happy.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aryan was happy.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (c) Tenzin was tired.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya was happy.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Neel was scared.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Joseph was tired.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing

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