Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 353 · 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?
   “Vihaan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ananya was happy.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aisha was tired.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya was tired. (b) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha was scared. (b) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Zoya was hungry.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek. (c) Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Joseph was bored. (c) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha was tired. (b) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Neel was happy. (c) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan was tired. (b) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.

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