Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 618 · 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?
   “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Priya was sad.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ananya was happy. (c) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran was scared. (b) Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Sahil was tired.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera was sad. (b) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Manav was bored. (c) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (c) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Imran was cold. (c) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Fatima was bored. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.

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