Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 881 · 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 Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Vihaan was bored.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Farhan was hungry.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Tara was scared.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi was sad.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) angry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Manav was bored. (c) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kabir was bored.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired

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