Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 844 · 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?
   “Aisha felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Diya was bored.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Diya was happy.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aryan was happy.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Maria was bored. (c) Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Farhan was scared. (c) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Arjun was happy.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Pooja was cold.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Tara was angry. (c) Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Fatima was bored.

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