Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 287 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Imran was sad.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Priya was hungry. (c) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha was cold. (b) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Joseph was tired.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav was hungry. (b) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.

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