Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 420 · 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?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (c) Maria was angry.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Neel was hungry.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Diya was tired. (c) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Dev was cold.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Pooja was angry. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Tara was bored.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav was angry.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Farhan was cold.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera was sad. (b) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy

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