Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 549 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan was scared.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha was scared. (b) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Diya was sad.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Diya was tired. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Aarav was scared.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Kabir was cold. (c) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek. (c) Aisha was sad.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Simran was angry.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.

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