Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 364 · 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 Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Farhan was scared. (c) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Arjun was sad.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan was cold. (b) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Riya was happy.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Riya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Saanvi was scared. (c) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya was tired.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Diya was cold. (c) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Saanvi was angry.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Sahil was happy.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad

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