Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 668 · 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 Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha was scared. (b) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Tara was hungry.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph was bored. (b) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran was cold. (b) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Nisha was sad.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran was angry. (b) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Fatima was tired.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir was sad.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Zoya was hungry.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling

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