Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 233 · 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 cold? (a) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Yash was cold.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aarav was happy.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Diya was cold.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) cold
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph was tired.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Ishaan was sad. (c) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sneha was angry. (c) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Manav was tired.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Neel was scared.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Meera was happy.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Vihaan was scared.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Dev was cold.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Aarav was tired.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin was scared. (b) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry

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