Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 883 · 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?
   “Diya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan was bored.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Saanvi was scared.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Rohan was bored.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) tired
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha was tired. (b) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Joseph was scared.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sahil was happy.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold

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