Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 823 · 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?
   “Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria was scared.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Riya was tired. (c) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Tenzin was angry. (c) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran was scared.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan was scared. (b) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan was hungry. (b) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) cold
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aisha was happy.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Yash was angry. (c) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing

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