Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 335 · 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 Diya is hungry? (a) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Imran was tired.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Ishaan was sad.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sahil was hungry.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Farhan was hungry.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (b) Tara was sad. (c) Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Fatima was cold.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Joseph was happy.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Sahil was scared.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy

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