Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 242 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Joseph was sad.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran was scared. (b) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Vihaan was happy.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Joseph was tired.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Tara was sad. (c) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Priya was happy.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) angry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek. (c) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Maria was sad.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sahil was hungry. (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.

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