Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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