Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 44 · 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 Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Zoya was cold.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun was cold. (c) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Nisha was tired.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Sneha was tired. (c) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Priya was sad.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Saanvi was sad.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Yash was hungry.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya was hungry. (b) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan was scared. (b) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aisha was happy. (c) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya was angry. (b) Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev was angry. (b) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil was scared. (c) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing

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