Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 236 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Dev was angry.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Imran was sad.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Sahil was bored.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Ishaan was scared.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya was sad. (b) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Dev sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
28. 28.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 laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran was bored.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing

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