Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 788 · 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?
   “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Aisha was happy. (c) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Zoya was bored.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Tara was tired.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kabir was tired.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ananya was happy.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) tired
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran was scared. (b) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi was hungry.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Fatima was hungry. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling

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