Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 868 · 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?
   “Neel was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya was happy.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) cold
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Priya was scared. (c) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Aryan was happy.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Saanvi was tired.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tara was cold. (c) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Priya was angry. (c) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya was angry. (b) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Imran was hungry.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Fatima was hungry. (c) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again.

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