Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 769 · 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?
   “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan was bored.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Simran was scared. (c) Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Farhan was tired.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan was tired.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Zoya was happy. (c) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha was scared. (b) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek. (c) Sahil was angry.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Simran was tired.

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