Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 312 · 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 Neel is scared? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aryan was happy.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kavya was tired.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Tenzin was sad.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Priya was hungry.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Saanvi was tired.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Saanvi was hungry. (c) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya was hungry.

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