Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 944 · 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?
   “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Dev was angry.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Saanvi was bored.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Manav was sad.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kabir was bored.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav was cold. (b) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Imran was tired. (c) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan was happy.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan was sad. (b) Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

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