Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 369 · 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 Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima was sad. (b) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Meera was happy.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Vihaan was angry.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Priya was hungry. (c) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Neel was sad.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sahil was hungry.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Vihaan was sad. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Ishaan was tired.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Nisha was hungry.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Vihaan was angry.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy

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