Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 146 · 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?
   “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya was happy. (b) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha was cold. (b) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Pooja was scared. (c) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Manav was bored. (c) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (c) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tara was sad.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Nisha was angry.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Aarav was sad.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ananya was sad.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Ananya was cold.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Dev was cold.

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