Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 650 · 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 Yash is tired? (a) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Yash was tired. (c) Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Ananya was cold.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil was scared. (b) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Priya was bored.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Arjun was scared.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Tenzin was scared. (c) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran was cold. (b) Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Manav was happy.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing

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