Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 304 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Maria was bored. (c) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi was sad.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Riya was hungry.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Priya was sad. (c) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Aryan was angry. (c) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Farhan was hungry.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph was scared. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (c) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad

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