Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 147 · 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 Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Arjun was hungry.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek. (c) Diya was sad.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Saanvi was bored.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) sad
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph was bored. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha was bored. (b) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing

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