Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 443 · 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?
   “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Nisha was cold.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir was bored.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Fatima was cold.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav was sad.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Imran was scared.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan was scared. (b) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ananya was bored.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Priya was scared.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Zoya was hungry.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.

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