Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 542 · 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 Priya is hungry? (a) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Priya was hungry. (c) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Zoya was angry.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Sneha was sad.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara was cold. (b) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Fatima was bored. (c) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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