Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 496 · 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?
   “Pooja was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera was sad. (b) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha was scared. (b) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara was cold. (b) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Meera was happy.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Riya was hungry.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Meera was hungry.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aisha was hungry.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha was bored. (b) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Maria was happy.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.

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