Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 102 · 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?
   “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) scared
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Yash was angry.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran was sad. (b) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan was tired. (b) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Pooja was sad.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja was tired.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Zoya was tired.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ananya was hungry.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Imran was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Kabir was cold.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha was bored. (b) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.

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