Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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