Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 729 · 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 Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Zoya was cold. (c) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Priya was angry. (c) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Manav was sad.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Yash was scared. (c) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Ananya was hungry.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Sneha was bored. (c) Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Kabir was tired. (c) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Saanvi was scared. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Sneha was sad. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

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