Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 847 · 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?
   “Arjun was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek. (c) Simran was hungry.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya was sad. (b) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Riya was happy.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Farhan was angry. (c) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi was tired.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Saanvi was cold.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing

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