Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 885 · 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 Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Arjun was scared.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Meera was cold. (c) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Farhan was happy.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha was tired. (b) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Zoya was sad.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Meera was bored.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Joseph was angry. (c) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Arjun was bored.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha was hungry. (b) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Neel was sad.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha was angry. (b) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling

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