Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 808 · 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 Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan was tired. (b) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Pooja was scared.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil was scared. (b) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Yash was hungry.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi was bored. (c) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Fatima was sad.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Vihaan was bored. (c) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Priya was bored. (c) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Priya was cold. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya was sad. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) tired
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) cold
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing

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