Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 345 · 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?
   “Riya felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya was tired. (b) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Farhan was sad.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Dev was hungry.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aisha was angry.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Manav was cold.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Riya was bored. (c) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Neel was tired. (c) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aryan was angry. (c) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Dev was hungry.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Simran was hungry. (c) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Pooja was hungry. (c) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry

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