Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 746 · 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 Tara is scared? (a) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Ishaan was tired.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Vihaan was angry. (c) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya was bored. (b) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Zoya was bored. (c) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Neel was tired.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya was happy.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Tara was scared.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Simran was scared.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aarav was sad.

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