Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 766 · 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 folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Zoya was cold.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha was tired. (b) Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kabir was tired.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Maria was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran was angry. (b) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran was angry. (b) Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing

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