Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 343 · 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 Dev is hungry? (a) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ananya was sad.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) cold
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Farhan was sad.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tenzin was bored.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan was happy. (b) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Maria was cold. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry

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