Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 912 · 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?
   “Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Rohan was tired.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Maria was happy. (c) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav was angry. (b) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) bored
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Manav was cold.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Neel was happy.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aryan was angry.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan was happy. (b) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.

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