Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 986 · 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?
   “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Diya was angry.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aarav was angry.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Joseph was tired.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Vihaan was sad.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again.

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