Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 160 · 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?
   “Ishaan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan was bored.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Sahil was scared. (c) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan was sad. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan was scared. (b) Ishaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Ishaan was tired.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya was hungry. (b) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Neel sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling

Free creative writing lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/creative-writing-for-kids