Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 997 · 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 tired? (a) Rohan was tired. (b) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Saanvi was tired.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Priya was scared. (c) Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Joseph was happy.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran was cold. (b) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (b) Vihaan was scared. (c) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tenzin was angry.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing

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