Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 511 · 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 Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Pooja was scared.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Arjun was sad.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (b) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Maria was bored.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Meera was hungry.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek. (b) Sneha was tired. (c) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Farhan was scared.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Vihaan was angry.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Zoya was hungry.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing

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