Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 737 · 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 Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan was cold. (b) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Diya was bored.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Dev was happy.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya was angry. (b) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Saanvi was hungry. (c) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Riya was hungry.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.

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