Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 61 · 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 Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil was cold. (c) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aryan was sad. (c) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Nisha was hungry.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Farhan was bored.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (c) Joseph was sad.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Rohan was happy.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Tenzin was bored.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Simran was tired. (c) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.

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