Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 765 · 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?
   “Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun was bored.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan was angry. (b) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Meera was angry.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Arjun was bored.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran was angry.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash was tired. (b) Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha was angry. (b) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry

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