Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 505 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) angry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ananya was scared.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aarav was cold.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (b) Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Kavya was angry.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav was cold. (b) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) angry
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Pooja was hungry. (c) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Manav was tired.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.

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