Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 357 · 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?
   “Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Meera was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya was hungry. (b) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya was bored. (c) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Arjun was bored.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Pooja was cold. (c) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Ishaan was cold.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek. (c) Fatima was scared.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya was sad. (b) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry

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