Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 536 · 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 Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Aryan was sad. (c) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Ananya was tired.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Neel was hungry.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Saanvi was hungry.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Maria was cold. (c) Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sahil was sad.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) bored
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria was tired.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Riya was bored. (c) Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.

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