Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 337 · 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 Riya is tired? (a) Riya was tired. (b) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha was scared. (b) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya was bored. (b) Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun was scared.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tenzin was angry. (c) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) bored
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Fatima was tired. (c) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Simran was hungry.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil was bored. (b) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Farhan was tired.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Tenzin was cold.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Yash was tired.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold

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