Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 938 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Joseph was cold. (c) Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun was happy.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha was angry. (b) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Saanvi was bored.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan was cold. (b) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Joseph was scared.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Farhan was scared. (c) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Simran was cold.

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