Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 315 · 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?
   “Kabir felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Nisha was hungry.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Dev was sad.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran was happy.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya was hungry.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry

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