Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 658 · 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 Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Zoya was sad.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran was bored. (b) Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir was bored.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha was tired. (b) Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
10. 10.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 gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Vihaan was cold. (c) Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya was angry. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Simran was sad. (c) Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha was bored. (b) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima was angry. (b) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Vihaan was sad.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy

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