Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 989 · 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?
   “Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Diya was happy.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Manav was cold.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Kabir was bored.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Maria was sad.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Yash was hungry.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan was cold. (b) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Arjun was tired.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (b) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Rohan was angry.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Nisha was scared. (c) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy

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