Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 91 · 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 Maria is angry? (a) Maria was angry. (b) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan was bored. (b) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav was cold. (b) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Kavya was hungry.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Tara was cold.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Kabir was angry.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Meera was hungry.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek. (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya was scared. (b) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Nisha was tired.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Farhan was sad. (c) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Manav was tired.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored

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