Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 990 · 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 Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan was sad. (b) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran was happy.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (b) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Nisha was tired.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Maria was bored. (c) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tenzin was scared.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Manav was cold.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ishaan was happy.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.

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