Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 812 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Riya was hungry.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Joseph was bored.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun was happy.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (b) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Riya was happy.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Riya was hungry. (c) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Maria was scared. (c) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Kabir was sad.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Fatima was angry.

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