Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 676 · 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 Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ananya was bored.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Saanvi was scared.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Sneha was tired. (c) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Rohan was happy.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Priya was scared.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Tara was tired. (c) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Meera was angry.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Tara was scared.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Aarav was happy.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Manav was bored. (c) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aarav was cold.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing

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