Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 818 · 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 Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Meera was cold.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel was hungry. (b) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aryan was tired.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Priya was happy.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Maria was tired.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya was tired. (b) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima was angry. (b) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tara was bored.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Ishaan was scared.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya was hungry. (b) Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.

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