Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 774 · 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?
   “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Aarav was angry.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha was bored. (b) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Pooja was hungry.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Imran was hungry.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored

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