Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 51 · 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 Manav is scared? (a) Manav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav was scared.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Ananya was angry. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sahil was hungry.
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Ishaan was angry.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha was bored. (b) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Nisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) tired

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