Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 999 · 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 Dev is bored? (a) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Dev was bored. (c) Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Tara was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Ananya was happy.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Yash was sad. (c) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya was tired. (b) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Manav was happy.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima was scared. (b) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Sneha was sad. (c) Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran was hungry. (b) Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Rohan was hungry. (c) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Joseph was happy.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja was tired. (b) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) scared
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran was sad. (b) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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