Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 269 · 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?
   “Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) cold
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Aisha was cold.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Tara was scared.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Meera was bored.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Saanvi was cold.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Imran was scared. (c) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Nisha was angry.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Sahil was happy.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Yash was hungry.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir was cold.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling

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