Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 730 · 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 Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Kabir was tired.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Farhan was bored.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Imran was scared.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Fatima was hungry.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Dev was cold.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya was angry. (b) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Diya was tired. (c) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aryan was scared.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Riya was cold.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Farhan was sad. (c) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.

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