Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 641 · 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?
   “Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Rohan was cold.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Sneha was angry.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Simran was scared. (c) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Aryan was bored.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph was bored. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was bored.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ishaan was angry.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Nisha was angry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha was scared. (b) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sahil was happy.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek. (c) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya was happy. (b) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Arjun was scared.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Manav was tired.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.

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