Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 94 · 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?
   “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Meera was happy.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav was scared. (b) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya was cold. (b) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Meera was tired.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha was bored. (b) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Neel was angry.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Maria was cold.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Maria was scared. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.

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