Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 974 · 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 Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha was tired. (b) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Maria was cold.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan was happy. (c) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Manav was bored.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Nisha was scared. (c) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Kavya was sad.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Ananya was tired.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara was happy.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Diya was tired. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha was cold. (b) Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya was angry. (b) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing

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