Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 948 · 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?
   “Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Diya was angry.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Priya was bored.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) angry
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tara was tired. (c) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Riya was angry. (c) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan was angry. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing

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