Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 867 · 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?
   “Aarav was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Zoya was cold.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Riya was sad.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Maria was scared.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Vihaan was tired.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun was sad.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Simran was cold.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.

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