Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 290 · 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?
   “Imran was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (b) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Ishaan was sad.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya was cold.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Fatima was hungry. (c) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Manav was bored.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya was angry. (b) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Yash was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.

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