Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 73 · 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?
   “Aryan felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Meera was happy.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Farhan was scared.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Priya was bored. (c) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan was happy. (b) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav was angry. (b) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ananya was happy. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan was cold. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Nisha was scared.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Priya was bored. (c) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aarav was scared.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun was scared.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Yash was hungry. (c) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.

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