Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 584 · 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?
   “Rohan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin was cold. (b) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ananya was scared.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tenzin was scared. (c) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (b) Farhan was cold. (c) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) tired
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Saanvi was tired.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Tara was tired. (c) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Manav was bored.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tara was tired.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.

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