Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 920 · 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?
   “Aryan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (c) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) cold
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Ishaan was cold.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya was scared. (b) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Simran was happy.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Kabir was tired. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya was scared. (b) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Fatima was tired. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya was bored. (b) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.

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