Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 637 · 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?
   “Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Rohan was happy.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek. (c) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Ishaan was scared. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Dev was angry.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan was sad.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aryan was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Simran was scared.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Riya was happy.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara was tired. (b) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tenzin was bored.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad

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