Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 905 · 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?
   “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Ishaan was sad.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria was hungry. (b) Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aryan was cold. (c) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Priya was cold.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Arjun was cold.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Arjun was angry.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kavya was angry.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Manav was cold.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya was bored. (b) Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Saanvi was scared. (c) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Diya was bored.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan was happy. (b) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya was bored. (b) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Yash was scared. (c) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared

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