Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 610 · 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?
   “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha was cold. (b) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Manav was scared. (c) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima was bored. (b) Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Pooja was angry.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Zoya was angry. (c) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared

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