Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 940 · 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?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan was sad. (b) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav was bored. (b) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan was scared. (b) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) scared
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) tired
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Meera was hungry.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) bored
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Tenzin was scared. (c) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya was tired. (b) Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Fatima was bored. (c) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Sneha was scared.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya was tired. (b) Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Arjun was tired.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Sneha was scared. (c) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Tara was tired.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha was cold. (b) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing

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