Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 695 · 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 Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek. (b) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Pooja was happy.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aryan was angry.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (c) Joseph was hungry.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Imran was bored.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Kabir was sad.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Nisha was hungry.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Manav was happy.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry

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