Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 762 · 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?
   “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Sahil was tired. (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Dev was happy.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.

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