Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 195 · 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 Yash is angry? (a) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Yash was angry.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Fatima was cold.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Simran was hungry.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Saanvi was happy.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha was angry. (b) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan was hungry. (b) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored

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