Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 347 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Nisha was scared. (c) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Diya was tired.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Aisha was angry.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Neel was bored.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sneha was happy. (c) Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Diya was tired.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Kabir was angry.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (c) Manav was angry.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Neel was happy. (c) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Rohan was scared.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya was cold. (b) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sneha was scared. (c) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.

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