Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 254 · 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?
   “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha was cold. (b) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Neel was happy. (c) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek. (c) Aisha was sad.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aisha was tired.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Priya was hungry.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil was cold.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Imran was cold. (c) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Nisha was angry. (c) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Pooja was scared.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.

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