Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 431 · 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 Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph was bored. (b) Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera was cold. (b) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aryan was happy.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir was bored.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Riya was cold.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) angry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Ananya was angry. (c) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Pooja was sad. (c) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.

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