Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 4 · 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 Dev is happy? (a) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Dev was happy.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) scared
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) hungry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan was scared. (b) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya was angry. (b) Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Zoya was bored.
24. 24.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.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) bored
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Saanvi was bored.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan was scared. (b) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Joseph was happy.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) sad

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