Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 655 · 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?
   “Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Meera was bored. (c) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Riya was hungry. (c) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil was sad. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.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 laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Kavya was tired. (c) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Zoya was happy.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Aisha was cold.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Imran was bored.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing

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