Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 177 · 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?
   “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Fatima was angry. (c) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav was scared.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Priya was bored.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Arjun was tired.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Fatima was sad.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Dev was scared.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya was hungry. (b) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Vihaan was angry.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aryan was hungry.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya was tired. (b) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing

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