Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 151 · 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?
   “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel was angry.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran was sad.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek. (b) Neel was angry. (c) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Vihaan was scared.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Simran was bored.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sneha was tired.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Ishaan was scared.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Priya was happy. (c) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan was bored. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha was sad. (b) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil was angry.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi was tired.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Aryan was sad.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Joseph was hungry.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry

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