Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 526 · 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 happy? (a) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aarav was happy.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya was scared. (b) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan was tired. (b) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Zoya was tired.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Fatima was scared.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan was scared. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Saanvi was cold.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Fatima was happy.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Rohan was bored.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry

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