Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 491 · 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?
   “Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara was tired. (b) Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan was tired. (b) Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Kabir was sad.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Saanvi was scared.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (c) Tenzin was bored.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Meera was tired.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin was cold. (b) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya was angry. (b) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) angry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.

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