Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 340 · 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?
   “Neel felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) tired
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Zoya was angry.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sahil was bored.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (c) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aryan was cold.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya was hungry. (b) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing

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