Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 424 · 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 Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan was angry. (b) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha was angry. (b) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima was scared. (b) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya was cold. (b) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha was bored. (b) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Vihaan was bored.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha was sad. (b) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash was scared. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek. (c) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan was happy.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Sahil was tired.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Maria was hungry.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Riya was tired. (c) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Riya was angry.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold

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