Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 606 · 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?
   “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Yash was scared. (c) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Yash was happy.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Meera was bored. (c) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Maria was cold.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Aryan was tired.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya was bored. (b) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aisha was scared.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil was angry.

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