Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 722 · 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 Maria is angry? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria was angry. (c) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Farhan was bored. (c) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Diya was cold.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Kabir was tired.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Aarav was tired.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun was sad.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan was scared. (b) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Manav was hungry.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Farhan was scared. (c) Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
35. 35.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 gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared

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