Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 495 · 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 Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Joseph was sad.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Aisha was scared. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Arjun was happy.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Yash was cold.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan was happy. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aarav was sad.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Vihaan was happy.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun was cold.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun was tired.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya was tired. (b) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Joseph was sad.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Rohan was sad.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek. (c) Fatima was cold.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Ishaan was angry.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing

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