Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 447 · 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?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Vihaan was sad. (c) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tara was hungry. (c) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Sahil was scared.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya was tired. (b) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Arjun was hungry.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Saanvi was bored. (c) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Saanvi was happy.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (c) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”

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