Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 58 · 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 Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Zoya was bored.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja was sad. (b) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Meera was cold.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Dev was happy. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Riya was hungry. (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Meera was cold.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Priya was scared.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Rohan was happy. (c) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Nisha was hungry. (c) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Sahil was cold. (c) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin was scared. (b) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Diya was cold.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Maria was scared. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry

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