Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 259 · 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?
   “Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Priya was bored.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Dev was tired.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aarav was bored.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara was tired. (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ishaan was bored.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Fatima was bored. (c) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Priya was sad. (c) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sneha was scared. (c) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Fatima was tired. (c) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Sahil was cold.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Pooja was cold. (c) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran was angry. (b) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling

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