Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 544 · 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?
   “Tara felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Arjun was happy.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kavya was bored.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran was cold. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Riya was tired.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tenzin was scared. (c) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Fatima was scared.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria was hungry. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (c) Riya was sad.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan was cold. (b) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.

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