Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 967 · 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 Aarav is hungry? (a) Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Fatima was bored.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph was scared. (b) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Manav was hungry.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Dev was hungry.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Joseph was bored.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan was bored. (b) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) bored
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Nisha was scared.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling

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