Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 721 · 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 Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya was sad. (b) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ishaan was scared.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Yash was bored.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Saanvi was hungry.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Nisha was hungry. (c) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Zoya was happy.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aryan was happy.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sneha was happy. (c) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Kavya was bored.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Meera was scared. (c) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Ishaan was sad.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin was bored. (b) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran was angry. (b) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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