Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 685 · 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 Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha was scared. (b) Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Meera was bored. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aarav was tired. (c) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan was hungry.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Kavya was happy.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya was cold. (b) Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Arjun was sad.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing

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