Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 398 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Maria was sad.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Meera was hungry.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Arjun was bored.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash was tired. (b) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.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’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Yash was angry.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir was cold. (c) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Riya was bored. (c) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Manav was hungry.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Manav was scared.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (b) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Nisha was angry.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Kavya was hungry.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling

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