Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 657 · 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 Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.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 nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja was bored. (b) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) cold
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was sad.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Simran was bored.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Diya was scared. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Simran was scared.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan was bored.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aryan was bored.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Sneha was tired. (c) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aisha was tired. (c) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.

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