Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 412 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Rohan was hungry.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Manav was hungry.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Maria was cold.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Riya was angry. (c) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha was hungry. (b) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) bored
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Diya was happy.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared

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