Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 519 · 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 Aarav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Manav was angry. (c) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Aarav was sad.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran was sad. (b) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Simran was tired.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Fatima was sad.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (c) Kavya was sad.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Vihaan was cold.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Meera was tired.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran was happy. (b) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tenzin was tired. (c) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing

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