Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 821 · 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?
   “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Joseph was hungry.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha was scared. (b) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sahil was happy.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) scared
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Zoya was scared.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Farhan was scared. (c) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek. (b) Nisha was scared. (c) Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Aisha was tired.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Saanvi was happy.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Neel was scared.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Zoya was cold.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha was sad. (b) Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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