Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 605 · 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 laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Nisha was cold.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Aisha was happy. (c) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Ishaan was tired.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired

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