Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 327 · 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 hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan was tired. (b) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Aryan was sad.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tenzin was happy.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Diya was bored. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja was sad.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya was bored. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) hungry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek. (c) Fatima was scared.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya was tired. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Rohan was cold.

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