Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 890 · 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.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Imran was sad.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha was tired. (b) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan was bored. (b) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan was tired. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Farhan was sad.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Sahil was tired.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Joseph was happy.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan was sad. (b) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing

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