Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 2 · 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?
   “Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Arjun was hungry.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sahil was sad.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash was tired. (b) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Ananya was angry.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Tenzin was bored.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Dev was happy.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.

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