Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 413 · 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 Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Tara was bored.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Manav was sad.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Aarav was hungry.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) hungry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav was scared. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Ananya was scared.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera was cold. (b) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing

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