Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 71 · 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 Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera was sad. (b) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sahil was scared.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tenzin was cold.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Simran was scared.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) angry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Neel was scared.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Joseph was cold. (c) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan was happy. (c) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.

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