Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 469 · 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 Yash is scared? (a) Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Yash was scared.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek. (c) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Maria was happy.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Simran was sad. (c) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Priya was angry. (c) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kabir was angry. (c) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tenzin was tired.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry

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