Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 428 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aryan was bored. (c) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Nisha was bored.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Zoya was cold.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Priya was hungry.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Priya was angry.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing

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