Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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