Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 518 · 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 Manav is happy? (a) Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Manav was cold.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Priya was sad. (c) Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kabir was angry.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kabir was happy.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Saanvi was tired.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Manav was bored. (c) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (c) Riya was sad.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Simran was scared.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya was cold. (b) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Maria was happy.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan was angry. (b) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Neel was tired.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan was hungry. (b) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.

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