Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 972 · 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 Simran is angry? (a) Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Sahil was bored.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Sahil was tired.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima was scared. (b) Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Dev was happy.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Diya was tired.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Priya was scared. (c) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Pooja was scared. (c) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek. (c) Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Imran was angry.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Imran was sad. (c) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Aisha was scared. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy

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