Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 731 · 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 Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aarav was hungry.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Zoya was bored.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (c) Maria was scared.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav was scared. (b) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Tenzin was scared.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha was cold. (b) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Meera was happy. (c) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

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