Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 834 · 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?
   “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Farhan was cold.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan was bored. (b) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Arjun was cold.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya was hungry. (b) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) cold
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Aisha was tired. (c) Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired

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