Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 201 · 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 hungry? (a) Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Yash was hungry.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sneha was hungry. (c) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya was scared. (b) Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya was cold. (b) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Manav was bored.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Nisha was angry. (c) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aisha was tired. (c) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Aarav was angry.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Sahil was sad. (c) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya was bored. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ishaan was bored.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Ananya was bored.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Ananya was tired.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.

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