Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 171 · 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?
   “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Priya was cold.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Rohan was sad.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Priya was cold.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ananya was bored. (c) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Farhan was cold. (c) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran was scared. (b) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Rohan was scared.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ananya was happy. (c) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Simran was sad. (c) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Joseph was sad.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Yash was scared.

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