Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 670 · 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?
   “Ishaan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya was scared. (c) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan was tired. (b) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Riya was cold.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kabir was hungry.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Kavya was hungry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil was bored. (b) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) tired
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kabir was bored.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan was cold. (b) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.

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