Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 906 · 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?
   “Priya was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (c) Arjun was bored.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Ananya was cold.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Maria was bored. (c) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph was cold.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Farhan was angry.

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