Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 718 · 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?
   “Imran was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aisha was bored.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Fatima was angry.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Pooja was scared.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan was sad.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan was happy. (b) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Dev was sad.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Vihaan was hungry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Yash was bored.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling

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