Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 508 · 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?
   “Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara was happy.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sneha was hungry.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Yash was scared.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Dev was hungry.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) angry
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek. (b) Dev was happy. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.

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