Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 892 · 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?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Joseph was cold.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Kavya was scared.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ananya was angry. (c) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Neel was sad.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Sahil was sad.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Aryan was cold.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Nisha was angry. (c) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph was bored. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi was scared.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran was angry. (c) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi was bored.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.

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