Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 379 · 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 was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (c) Ishaan was sad.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Tenzin was sad.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Ananya was angry. (c) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Joseph was cold.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Neel was angry.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Diya was tired.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja was angry.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Nisha was scared. (c) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kabir was happy.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing

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