Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 855 · 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?
   “Dev was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Priya was angry.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Kabir was hungry.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Pooja was scared. (c) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya was hungry.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Zoya was cold.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Manav was cold. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry

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