Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 239 · 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 Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Joseph was happy.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Meera was cold.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun was angry.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya was scared. (b) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Neel was cold.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria was hungry. (b) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev was bored. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek. (c) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (c) Nisha was sad.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan was sad.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan was sad. (b) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kavya was bored.

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