Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 512 · 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 Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Joseph was angry. (c) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Joseph was scared. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav was scared. (b) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aarav was scared.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ishaan was tired.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja was sad. (b) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.

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