Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 84 · 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 Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan was scared. (b) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kavya was bored.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav was angry.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya was sad. (b) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (b) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tenzin was happy.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kavya was hungry. (c) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Maria was sad.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Sahil was cold.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (c) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Tenzin was scared.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.

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