Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 456 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara was angry.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sneha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan was bored. (b) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aarav was scared.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Farhan was happy.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Kavya was angry.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aisha was scared. (c) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Nisha was happy.
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Simran was tired. (c) Simran’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Meera was bored.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Fatima was tired.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aarav was sad.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry

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