Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 953 · 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?
   “Kabir was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Vihaan was tired.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya was sad.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Joseph was happy. (c) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tenzin was tired.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kabir was happy.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Diya was bored. (c) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tara was scared.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Tara was cold. (c) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Aisha was bored.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Tara was sad.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.

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