Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 691 · 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 Priya is tired? (a) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran was happy. (b) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek. (b) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Pooja was cold.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tenzin was sad.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Joseph was happy. (c) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing

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