Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 462 · 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 Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Aisha was scared.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kavya was bored.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Joseph was angry.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan was scared. (b) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Imran was tired. (c) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Joseph was happy.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara was tired. (b) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan was cold. (b) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Simran was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Zoya was happy.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling

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