Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 589 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Saanvi was sad.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Yash was scared. (c) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Vihaan was angry. (c) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera was scared. (b) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (b) Nisha was bored. (c) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Pooja was cold.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Pooja was happy.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran was happy. (b) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.

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