Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 749 · 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?
   “Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tara was angry.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Dev was scared. (c) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha was cold. (b) Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (c) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Dev was cold.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ananya was bored. (c) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Saanvi was bored. (c) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kavya was scared.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (c) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek. (b) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sneha was sad.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sneha was hungry. (c) Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Imran was tired.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Rohan was happy.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (b) Tara was sad. (c) Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired

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