Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 586 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran was hungry. (b) Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Pooja was cold.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Joseph was cold. (c) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Aarav was sad.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Nisha was angry. (c) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Riya was hungry. (c) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Priya was scared.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan was angry. (b) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing

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