Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 468 · 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?
   “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan was scared. (b) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Kavya was cold.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Arjun was cold.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Riya was bored.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Simran was scared.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Tara was happy.
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Manav was scared. (c) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Ananya was cold.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.

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