Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 407 · 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 tired? (a) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya was angry. (b) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Imran was tired. (c) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (c) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Sneha was hungry.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
22. 22.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 counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Pooja was scared.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sneha was happy.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Sahil was sad.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Kavya was hungry.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Manav was scared.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Saanvi was tired.

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