Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 791 · 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?
   “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha was tired. (b) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Joseph was hungry.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aarav was scared.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Pooja was scared.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Sneha was hungry. (c) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tara was cold.

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