Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 406 · 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 Meera is cold? (a) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Meera was cold.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Nisha was tired.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Pooja was angry. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Priya was bored.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Priya was bored. (c) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Sahil was tired. (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Priya was scared. (c) Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya was scared. (b) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha was cold. (b) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek. (c) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.

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