Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 74 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Sneha was cold.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek. (c) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Nisha was cold. (c) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tara was hungry.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kabir was bored.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aarav was angry.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Aryan was angry. (c) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (b) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aryan was bored.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Manav was hungry.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aarav was bored.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha was bored. (b) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aarav was tired. (c) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.

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