Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 248 · 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?
   “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Kavya was hungry. (c) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Ananya was hungry.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Imran was sad. (c) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Aisha was hungry.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Joseph was cold. (c) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Zoya was scared. (c) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.

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