Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 709 · 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?
   “Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aarav was scared.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Vihaan was hungry.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek. (c) Dev was hungry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Maria was angry. (c) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Rohan was bored.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling

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