Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 996 · 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 Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Zoya was cold. (c) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Tenzin was angry. (c) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel was hungry. (b) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Sneha was cold.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Joseph was happy. (c) Joseph’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Manav was scared. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Priya was cold.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha was tired. (b) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya was tired. (b) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Imran was hungry.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (c) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Arjun was hungry. (c) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Imran was scared. (c) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing

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