Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 768 · 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?
   “Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja was sad. (b) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera was cold. (b) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tara was angry. (c) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Nisha was hungry. (c) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya was sad. (b) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan was sad. (b) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Imran was cold. (c) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ananya was angry.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing

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