Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 499 · 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?
   “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Yash was bored.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Nisha was happy.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Arjun was scared.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Saanvi was sad.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Neel was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Sneha was tired. (c) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Joseph was angry. (c) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling

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