Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 956 · 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?
   “Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil was scared.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Ishaan was cold.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kavya was happy.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan was sad. (b) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan was sad. (b) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Joseph was bored. (c) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Dev was scared.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling

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