Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 588 · 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 Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Priya was sad.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Joseph was bored.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Nisha was hungry.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared

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