Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

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

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