Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 281 · 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 Diya is angry? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Diya was angry.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kabir was scared.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Pooja was hungry. (c) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Manav was angry. (c) Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Meera was tired.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (c) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya was scared. (b) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.

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