Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 50 · 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 Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Farhan was cold.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Sneha was hungry. (c) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Riya was hungry.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya was angry.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Riya was angry. (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja was happy.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha was tired. (b) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Fatima was scared.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil was sad.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired

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