Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 292 · 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?
   “Diya was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Maria was happy.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Nisha was scared. (c) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya was sad. (b) Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Priya was happy.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Sneha was tired.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Saanvi was bored.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (c) Riya was angry.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya was cold. (b) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Sahil was sad. (c) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya was scared. (b) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared

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