Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 356 · 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 sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (c) Ananya was hungry.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Tenzin was cold.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Tara was happy.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Vihaan was happy.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Zoya was angry. (c) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Neel was tired. (c) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya was bored.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Kavya was hungry. (c) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Zoya was happy. (c) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Nisha was hungry.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.

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