Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 840 · 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 Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Fatima was scared.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (c) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Kavya was bored. (c) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav was cold. (b) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan was happy. (b) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Fatima was tired. (c) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Simran was tired.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Joseph was happy. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Nisha was angry. (c) Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Arjun was bored.

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