Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 873 · 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 Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Diya was hungry.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) hungry
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya was scared.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Simran was tired. (c) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Zoya was cold. (c) Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha was hungry. (b) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Riya was cold.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Yash was happy. (c) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Arjun was cold.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Neel was bored. (c) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold

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