Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 314 · 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?
   “Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev was bored. (b) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Vihaan was tired. (c) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Farhan was scared.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Tenzin was happy.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran was cold. (b) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha was sad. (b) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Vihaan was scared.

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