Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 687 · 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 hungry? (a) Nisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Nisha was hungry.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Joseph was angry. (c) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya was hungry.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Vihaan was hungry. (c) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Imran was hungry.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Yash was scared.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav was tired.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Sahil was hungry. (c) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Nisha was bored. (c) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Maria was bored.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing

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