Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 477 · 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 Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya was angry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Saanvi was sad.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Imran was angry. (c) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Saanvi was hungry.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Riya was happy.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Riya was hungry.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya was angry. (b) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Imran was tired.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Farhan was bored.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aryan was hungry.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling

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