Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 305 · 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 Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Ananya was cold.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin was scared. (b) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima was scared. (b) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Neel was angry.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun was bored.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja was sad. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Diya was scared. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Neel was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aryan was sad.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) bored
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya was sad. (b) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired

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