Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 516 · 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 Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Nisha was tired.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria was tired. (b) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Pooja was angry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya was angry. (b) Priya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Meera was hungry.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Meera gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Meera was scared.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Meera was angry. (c) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Fatima was bored. (c) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Dev was angry.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja was sad. (b) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tara was bored.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry

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