Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 534 · 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 Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Zoya was bored. (c) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Ishaan was bored.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha was scared. (b) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya was tired. (b) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya was hungry. (b) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling

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