Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 981 · 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 Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Farhan was angry.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Diya was bored.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Aisha was bored.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Sneha was scared.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Zoya was tired. (c) Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling

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