Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 454 · 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 Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was sad.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Tenzin was sad.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Maria was angry. (c) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya was angry. (b) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing

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