Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 936 · 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?
   “Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera was bored. (c) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Riya was hungry.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Arjun was cold.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya was tired.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tenzin was scared.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling

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