Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 535 · 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?
   “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev was bored. (b) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Sneha was happy. (c) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Diya was cold.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Tara was cold.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha was bored. (b) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Simran was cold.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Neel was scared.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Vihaan was scared. (c) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.

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