Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 694 · 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?
   “Sneha felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aryan was tired.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera was cold. (b) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya was bored. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Tara was angry. (c) Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya was cold. (b) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya was bored. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kavya was tired. (c) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling

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