Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 692 · 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 Diya is hungry? (a) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (c) Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima was scared. (b) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran was cold. (b) Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Imran was cold.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan was scared. (b) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Zoya was sad.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Joseph was scared. (c) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.

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