Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 246 · 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?
   “Aryan felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (c) Farhan was hungry.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Kavya was scared.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran was angry. (b) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (b) Aryan was cold. (c) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev was tired. (b) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Aisha was hungry. (c) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Imran was angry.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aarav was hungry.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima was sad. (b) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Imran was cold. (c) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) hungry
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Sahil was cold. (c) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav was cold.

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