Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 857 · 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 Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ananya was cold.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya was tired. (b) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Priya was bored. (c) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Ananya was tired. (c) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Fatima was bored.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya was bored. (b) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Imran was scared. (c) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (c) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Fatima was hungry.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya was scared. (b) Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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