Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 728 · 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 Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja was hungry.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Vihaan was angry. (c) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aryan was angry.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Neel was happy.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav was hungry. (b) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Dev was cold.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Diya was scared.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Saanvi was hungry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Saanvi was hungry.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Diya was bored.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Zoya was happy.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing

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