Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 984 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Kavya was sad.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Imran was tired. (c) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha was cold. (b) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Sahil was sad.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Meera was cold.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Sahil was scared.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Dev was tired. (c) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Priya was cold. (c) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aarav was happy.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi was happy.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya was sad.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Arjun was sad.

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