Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 455 · 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?
   “Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Neel was cold.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Joseph was happy.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Imran was angry.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Meera was happy.

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