Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 556 · 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 Riya is happy? (a) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Farhan was hungry.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Neel was scared.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph was scared. (b) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Rohan was scared.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) angry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.

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