Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 869 · 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 Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Joseph was scared.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek. (c) Diya was sad.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tara was cold.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Farhan was cold.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Vihaan was scared.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav was bored. (b) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.
27. 27.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 laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav was scared.
33. 33.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) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) scared
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Maria was cold. (c) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.

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