← Show, don’t tell lesson New set →

Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 294 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

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

Answer key

  1. cold
  2. telling
  3. Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  4. Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  5. Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  6. sad
  7. Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  8. telling
  9. telling
  10. showing
  11. tired
  12. Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  13. Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  14. Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  15. bored
  16. A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.
  17. showing
  18. telling
  19. sad
  20. Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  21. telling
  22. telling
  23. happy
  24. telling
  25. telling
  26. showing
  27. happy
  28. Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  29. Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  30. Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  31. telling
  32. Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  33. showing
  34. Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  35. sad
  36. showing
  37. scared
  38. Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  39. showing
  40. showing

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