Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 274 · 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?
   “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tara was angry. (c) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Neel was happy. (c) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Priya was hungry. (c) Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Joseph was sad.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.

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