Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 309 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Nisha was happy. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kavya was bored.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Priya was tired.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek. (c) Neel was cold.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Pooja was tired.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tara was tired.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling

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