Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 391 · 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 Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan was cold.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (c) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (c) Arjun was happy.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Dev was happy.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aryan was scared.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) tired
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera was sad. (b) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin was scared. (b) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Kabir was tired.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Saanvi was cold.

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