Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 108 · 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 Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (c) Tara was sad.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran was scared. (b) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Joseph was hungry.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Manav was cold.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Zoya was bored. (c) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel was angry. (c) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Dev was happy.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Riya was cold.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha was hungry. (b) Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Tara was happy.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.

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