Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 157 · 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 Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan was cold. (b) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Aisha was bored.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha was scared. (b) Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Vihaan was scared.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara was tired. (b) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kabir was bored.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Tara was bored.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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