Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 751 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Arjun was cold.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Imran was cold.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya was scared. (b) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Yash was happy.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Sneha was tired.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Vihaan was bored.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kavya was sad.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Ananya was bored. (c) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Diya was scared.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Meera was hungry.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling

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