Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 282 · 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?
   “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Joseph was bored.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Meera was bored.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Simran was sad.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya was tired. (b) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Fatima was tired.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav was cold. (b) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek. (b) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Sneha was sad.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired

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