Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 464 · 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?
   “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kavya was bored. (c) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tara was cold.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Diya was cold. (c) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Arjun was angry.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Simran was hungry.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Vihaan was scared.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing

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