Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 688 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Ananya was bored.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kabir was tired.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Zoya was hungry.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Saanvi was sad.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Aisha was tired. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (c) Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Arjun was hungry.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash was scared. (b) Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.

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