Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 325 · 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?
   “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) sad
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Imran was hungry.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha was cold. (b) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Joseph was happy.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Maria was angry.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya was bored. (b) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil was tired.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Dev was scared. (c) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy

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