Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 86 · 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?
   “Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Vihaan was bored.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun was cold. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan was sad. (b) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Aryan was tired.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kabir was hungry.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Saanvi was angry.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha was angry. (b) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya was tired. (b) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek. (c) Yash was hungry.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling

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