Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 653 · 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?
   “Ananya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Pooja was angry. (c) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara was cold. (b) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Maria was cold. (c) Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Zoya was sad.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek. (c) Dev was sad.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha was tired. (b) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (b) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Farhan was sad.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Nisha was hungry.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling

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