Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 354 · 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 Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aisha was angry.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya was hungry. (c) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ishaan was scared.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Sneha was scared.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (b) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Vihaan was tired.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Rohan was scared.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling

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