Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 77 · 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?
   “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Diya was cold. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Manav was bored.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aisha was scared.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran was tired. (b) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (c) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav was cold. (b) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Imran was scared.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad

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