Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 884 · 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?
   “Fatima felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan was happy. (b) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Maria was sad.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Meera was angry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav was scared.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan was sad. (b) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Maria was cold. (c) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry

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