Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 436 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan was hungry. (b) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Diya was tired. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Maria was bored.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Joseph was angry.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya was scared. (b) Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya was angry. (b) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara was tired. (b) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Zoya was angry.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aarav was sad.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Sahil was angry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (b) Vihaan was sad. (c) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Yash was angry.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing

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