Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 861 · 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 Yash is sad? (a) Yash was sad. (b) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Joseph was bored.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (b) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Kavya was angry.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan was angry. (b) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Ananya was hungry.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Joseph was scared. (c) Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad

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