Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 348 · 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?
   “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tara was hungry. (c) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Fatima was bored.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Neel was happy.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Neel was tired. (c) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Priya was happy.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Aarav was hungry.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Priya was cold.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Dev was cold.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja was hungry.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Tears filled Maria’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Maria was cold.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry

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