Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 154 · 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?
   “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja was hungry.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Farhan was angry.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Manav was tired.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav was angry.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Zoya was hungry.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Kavya was bored.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tenzin was sad.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Aisha was tired. (c) Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Priya was angry.

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