Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 621 · 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?
   “Zoya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Diya was cold. (c) Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Ananya was angry.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima was scared. (b) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tara was bored.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aisha was angry.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Tenzin was angry.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Sahil was tired. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Meera was tired.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Meera was sad.

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