Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 779 · 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?
   “Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) hungry
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph was scared. (b) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Pooja was cold. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev was bored. (b) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Riya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Fatima was hungry.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya was tired. (b) Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (b) Aryan was cold. (c) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold

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