Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 946 · 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 Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Yash was sad. (c) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Sneha was scared.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Manav was tired.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Tara was sad. (c) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Priya was angry.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Arjun was tired.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph was hungry.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aryan was sad. (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek. (c) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Rohan was sad.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Vihaan was sad. (c) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling

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