Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 390 · 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 Aryan is scared? (a) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) angry
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Meera was sad.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Saanvi was angry.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sneha was hungry. (c) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir was tired. (b) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Dev was scared.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Maria was scared.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Meera was bored. (c) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing

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