Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 601 · 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?
   “Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Simran was sad. (c) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (c) Farhan was happy.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Aisha was cold.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Fatima was happy.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Kabir was angry.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Imran was scared.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kavya was happy.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Maria was sad.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Aisha was cold. (c) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aisha was bored.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling

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