Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 299 · 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?
   “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Riya was tired. (c) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan was tired.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Tara was angry. (c) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev was bored. (b) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Farhan was angry.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Simran was scared.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy

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