Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 307 · 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?
   “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Saanvi was bored. (c) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran was scared. (b) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja was hungry.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Ishaan was sad.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Rohan was happy.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Nisha was angry.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav was sad.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Imran was sad. (c) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Vihaan was angry. (c) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aryan was happy.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran was cold. (b) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Kavya was hungry. (c) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav was cold. (b) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Yash was sad.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kabir was happy.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored

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