Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 979 · 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 Yash is happy? (a) Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Yash was happy.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Priya was cold.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev was bored. (b) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) angry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya was bored. (b) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Dev was cold.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aarav was hungry.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy

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