Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 583 · 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?
   “Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Simran was bored.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Pooja was hungry. (c) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Nisha was bored.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha was cold. (b) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Riya was hungry.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Simran was hungry. (c) Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Vihaan was scared.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Diya was scared. (c) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Arjun was hungry.

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