Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 889 · 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?
   “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya was bored. (b) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) cold
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Nisha was tired.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Yash was tired. (c) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya was sad. (b) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored

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