Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 96 · 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?
   “Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Neel was hungry.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Farhan was tired.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Yash was tired. (c) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Rohan was angry.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Saanvi was tired.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Yash was bored.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Arjun was bored.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Meera was scared.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) happy
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry

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