Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 497 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Nisha was bored. (c) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil was bored. (b) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Diya was hungry.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash was scared. (b) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Nisha was scared.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya was bored. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Arjun was scared.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Ananya was scared.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Dev was bored.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya was angry. (b) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Simran was sad.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tenzin was bored.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha was tired. (b) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing

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