Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 935 · 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?
   “Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha was scared. (b) Nisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (c) Manav was angry.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Zoya was tired.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) scared
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Manav was angry.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Fatima was tired.

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