Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 973 · 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 Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha was angry. (b) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan was bored. (c) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) sad
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Sneha was sad.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tenzin was tired.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Maria was scared. (c) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan was scared. (b) Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Priya was happy. (c) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Zoya was cold.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran was scared.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Priya was bored. (c) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) showing (b) telling

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