Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 381 · 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?
   “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan was hungry. (b) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (c) Rohan was scared.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (c) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Dev was scared. (c) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sneha was angry.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Riya was hungry. (c) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Farhan was tired.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav was hungry. (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aarav was happy.

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