Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 645 · 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?
   “Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan was happy.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) bored
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan was sad.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aarav was happy.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya was cold. (b) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Vihaan was bored.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil was bored. (b) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ishaan was bored.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Farhan was scared.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha was hungry. (b) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aryan was scared.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Farhan was scared. (c) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared

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