Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 665 · 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 Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Priya was happy. (c) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Farhan was scared.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Tara was sad. (c) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph was tired.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Tenzin was sad.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) scared
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav was bored. (b) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Pooja was sad.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry

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