Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 843 · 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?
   “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya was cold. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Meera was happy.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan was tired. (b) Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan was sad. (b) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Simran was scared.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran was hungry. (b) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Neel was cold.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Vihaan was bored.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Kabir was sad.

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