Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 97 · 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?
   “Tara was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Sahil was happy.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima was angry. (b) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Farhan was happy.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan was angry. (b) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Sahil was cold. (c) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Rohan was cold.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Arjun was happy.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Manav was hungry.

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