Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 530 · 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 Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima was angry. (b) Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ishaan was tired.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Imran was cold.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Dev sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Dev was bored.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Joseph was bored.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya was hungry. (b) Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Sneha was bored.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya was sad. (b) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya was angry. (b) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing

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