Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 422 · 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 Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) hungry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Zoya was angry. (c) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Dev was happy. (c) Dev sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aryan was tired.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Fatima was hungry.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
22. 22.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 shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Priya was angry.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek. (b) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sneha was happy.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Diya was tired.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya was scared. (b) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya was bored. (b) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Nisha was sad.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

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