Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 682 · 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 Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima was sad. (b) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil was scared. (b) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek. (c) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Simran was bored.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Simran was tired.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha was bored. (b) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.

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