Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 711 · 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 Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ishaan was cold.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav was bored. (b) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kabir was bored.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) cold
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Priya was bored.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aryan was scared.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing

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