Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 321 · 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?
   “Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun was scared.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya was scared. (b) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya was bored. (b) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Meera was tired.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Maria was angry.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Farhan was tired.

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