Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 600 · 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?
   “Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tara was happy.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) tired
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya was scared. (b) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Joseph was scared. (c) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav was cold. (b) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja was sad. (b) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (c) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya was scared. (b) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Meera was happy.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Sahil was tired.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya was angry. (b) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Dev was happy.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad

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