Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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