Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 982 · 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 Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Farhan was sad.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tenzin was happy.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan was scared. (b) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Maria was tired.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Manav was cold. (c) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya was tired. (b) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Priya was bored.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) scared
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Diya was scared.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya was scared. (b) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling

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