Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 776 · 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?
   “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel was angry. (c) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Rohan was scared.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash was tired. (b) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling

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