Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 396 · 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 Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Imran was angry.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Manav was hungry.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (c) Rohan was bored.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Ishaan was sad.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Sneha was hungry.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Meera was scared.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir was sad.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Aisha was tired. (c) Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing

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