Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 371 · 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 Neel is sad? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kabir was scared.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Maria was hungry.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya was sad. (b) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha was angry. (b) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Nisha was bored. (c) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Meera was happy.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Zoya was sad.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Imran was scared. (c) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Farhan was scared. (c) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Priya was angry.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared

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