Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 927 · 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?
   “Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aarav was hungry.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha was sad. (b) Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Meera was cold.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Riya was hungry.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha was sad. (b) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Ishaan was sad.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Riya was tired. (c) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.

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