Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 827 · 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?
   “Vihaan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Priya was happy.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran was tired. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Farhan was cold. (c) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Saanvi was sad.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tenzin was angry. (c) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Manav was cold. (c) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Saanvi was tired.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Imran was happy.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.

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