Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 135 · 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?
   “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran was bored. (b) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Riya was scared.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha was scared. (b) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ananya was happy. (c) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Maria was bored.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Imran was happy.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing

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