Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 493 · 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 Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Sahil was sad. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Nisha was hungry.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria was hungry. (b) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Ananya was angry. (c) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Fatima was bored. (c) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ishaan was bored.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Joseph was sad.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Nisha was cold.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Vihaan was angry.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Yash was tired. (c) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Kabir was bored.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
36. 36.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 sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Tenzin was angry. (c) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Fatima was hungry. (c) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.

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