Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 506 · 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?
   “Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) tired
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya was angry. (b) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Ananya was scared.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir was happy.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Dev was bored.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Simran was tired. (c) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling

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