Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 209 · 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 Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha was tired. (b) Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (c) Tara was bored.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Yash was bored.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Dev was scared.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun was sad.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Diya was bored. (c) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.

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