Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 198 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Meera felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Saanvi was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ishaan was tired.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) bored
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya was angry.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Neel was happy.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Zoya was happy.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan was tired. (b) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Maria was bored.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Kavya was tired.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing

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