Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 439 · 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?
   “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Aisha was happy.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph was tired.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Rohan was scared.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Farhan was happy.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Kavya was happy.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Manav was tired.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil was scared. (b) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling

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