Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 548 · 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 tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aisha was cold. (c) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aarav was tired. (c) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav was scared.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) angry
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Aisha was bored.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing

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