Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 257 · 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 Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin was cold. (b) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir was cold.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Nisha was scared.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran was happy.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan was scared. (b) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Pooja was tired.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Aryan was cold. (c) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Vihaan was hungry.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling

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