Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 964 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sahil was sad. (c) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Vihaan was cold. (c) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Imran was angry. (c) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Rohan was sad.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Farhan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav was hungry. (b) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (b) Rohan was sad. (c) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Maria was tired.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Aisha was hungry.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Tenzin was sad.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Farhan was scared.

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