Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 858 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Arjun was bored.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Priya was happy. (c) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (b) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ishaan was happy.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Saanvi was hungry. (c) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Joseph was sad.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tara was bored.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) sad
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Tara was tired.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Kabir was sad.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Diya was angry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing

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