Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 723 · 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 Meera is sad? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek. (c) Meera was sad.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Priya was angry. (c) Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Farhan was sad.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Rohan was tired.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya was sad.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Simran was scared. (c) Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya was sad. (b) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Joseph was bored. (c) Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Aryan was hungry.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Joseph was cold.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (c) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Yash was tired. (c) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing

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