Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 70 · 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?
   “Dev was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek. (c) Simran was sad.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Zoya was bored. (c) Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Saanvi was scared.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya was happy.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir was bored.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Arjun was hungry.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Sahil was scared.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran was hungry. (b) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek. (c) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan was happy. (b) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing

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