Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 894 · 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 Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Aarav was angry.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kavya was cold.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Tenzin was angry. (c) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Farhan was angry. (c) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Zoya was hungry.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aryan was sad.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Yash was angry.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling

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