Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 664 · 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 Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Joseph was cold.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya was tired. (b) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Farhan was bored. (c) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Tenzin was cold.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sahil was happy.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan was bored. (b) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Arjun was tired.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran was angry. (b) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya was sad. (b) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha was cold. (b) Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.

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