Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 350 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Imran was sad. (c) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (c) Ishaan was sad.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha was sad. (b) Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Dev was hungry.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Dev was cold.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Arjun was cold.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ananya was bored.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek. (c) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Sahil was bored.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Imran was sad.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

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