Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 153 · 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 Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Farhan was sad. (c) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran was angry. (b) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin was scared. (b) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Simran was cold.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha was tired. (b) Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya was angry. (b) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Diya was tired.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Rohan was tired.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan was happy.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired

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