Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 405 · 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?
   “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha was bored. (b) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Priya was sad. (c) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Rohan was bored.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Pooja was cold.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Diya was cold.

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