Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 666 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) bored
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Yash was scared.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Meera was sad.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Imran was angry.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan was sad.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kavya was happy.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired

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