Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 484 · 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 Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Fatima was tired. (c) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kabir was bored.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
15. 15.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’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Farhan was happy.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Arjun was happy.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Dev was sad.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Vihaan was tired. (c) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.

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