Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 194 · 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 Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aryan was happy.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Fatima was hungry.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tenzin was angry.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (b) Maria was cold. (c) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Aisha was happy.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran was angry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing

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