Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 693 · 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 Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Saanvi was hungry.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Sneha was angry. (c) Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Kabir was cold.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Pooja was angry.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Manav was tired.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Rohan was hungry.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya was hungry. (b) Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) angry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha was angry. (b) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya was hungry.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Diya was hungry.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Dev was hungry.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing

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