Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 756 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Diya was cold.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Neel was bored.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya was sad.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima was bored. (b) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan was sad. (b) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Sahil was bored.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Simran was cold.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Pooja was bored.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha was bored. (b) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Rohan was cold.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Joseph was bored.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya was hungry. (b) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera was sad. (b) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.

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