Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 517 · 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 Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha was hungry. (b) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Kavya was sad.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Riya was happy.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Nisha was cold.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Saanvi was bored. (c) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ishaan was happy.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Riya was cold.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Pooja was angry. (c) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (b) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aryan was cold.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan was cold. (b) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored

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