Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 43 · 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 Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Simran was cold.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Saanvi was tired.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha was tired. (b) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Pooja was happy.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha was scared. (b) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Vihaan was scared.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir was scared.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Aisha was angry.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran was cold. (b) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Maria was happy.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (c) Joseph was sad.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Yash was scared. (c) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sahil was hungry.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Neel was hungry.

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