Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 627 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aisha was hungry.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Neel was angry.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya was angry. (b) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Yash was hungry.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (b) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Nisha was sad.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya was tired. (b) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Fatima was sad.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Nisha was cold.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja was angry.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (c) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Arjun was tired.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Zoya was bored.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Pooja was hungry. (c) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya was sad. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sahil was cold.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”

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