Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 599 · 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 sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Sneha was angry. (c) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Pooja was sad.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek. (c) Zoya was sad.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Priya was angry.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sahil was angry.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tenzin was scared.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Zoya was hungry.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Pooja was sad. (c) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.

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