Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 898 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Neel was hungry. (c) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash was hungry. (b) Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Farhan was tired.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (c) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan was hungry.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Farhan was scared.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Saanvi was cold.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Meera was sad.

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