Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 602 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Neel was hungry.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Farhan was cold. (c) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Diya was angry.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Tara was cold.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Sneha was sad.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria was angry. (c) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.

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