Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 814 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Kavya was hungry. (c) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aryan was tired. (c) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Pooja was bored.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tenzin was sad.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Tenzin was tired. (c) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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