Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 987 · 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 Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Tara was happy.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya was bored. (b) Zoya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Neel was happy.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi was tired.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya was angry. (b) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) happy
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is angry? (a) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Sneha was angry. (c) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel was tired. (b) Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) hungry
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Farhan was sad. (c) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sahil was happy.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Saanvi was bored.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling

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