Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 573 · 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 Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Vihaan was hungry.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha was tired. (b) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Priya was angry. (c) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Sneha was sad.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya was bored. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Meera was happy.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Joseph was scared. (c) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sahil was scared. (c) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry

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