Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 489 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kabir was cold.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Riya was bored.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Neel was angry. (c) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Aryan was hungry.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (c) Riya was angry.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (b) Tenzin was scared. (c) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Fatima was angry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Yash was scared.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Sahil was tired.

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