Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 445 · 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?
   “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aryan was scared.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Yash was scared. (c) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya was cold. (b) Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Kavya was cold.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Sahil was tired. (c) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil was scared.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Neel was happy.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya was tired. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Neel was cold.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan was happy. (b) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Ananya was scared.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran was cold. (b) Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry

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