Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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