Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 332 · 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?
   “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (b) Maria was happy. (c) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav was scared. (b) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Imran was tired.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir was tired. (b) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was sad.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav was cold.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Sahil was hungry.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Imran was angry. (c) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Imran was cold.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing

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