Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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