Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 38 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Farhan was tired.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aryan was scared.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Tara was angry.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan was scared.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil was scared.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Kavya was sad.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) cold
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Priya was angry.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Yash was scared. (c) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Vihaan was scared.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing

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