Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 572 · 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 Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Farhan was angry.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Simran was cold.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya was bored. (c) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Maria was cold.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aryan was happy.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was sad.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Rohan was scared.

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