Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 467 · 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 Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Maria was sad.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan was tired. (b) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja was bored. (b) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Farhan was bored.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Tenzin was cold.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Fatima was bored.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.

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