Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 330 · 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 Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Fatima was scared.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Aarav was sad.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sneha was sad. (c) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima was sad. (b) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav was cold. (b) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya was happy. (b) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Maria was tired.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Zoya was hungry.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Manav was scared. (c) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav was sad.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sneha was bored.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tenzin was happy.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Arjun was scared.

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