Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 522 · 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 Tara is bored? (a) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tara was bored.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Vihaan was bored. (c) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Farhan was cold.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Rohan was tired.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima was bored. (b) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Fatima sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Sahil was scared. (c) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek. (b) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aisha was sad.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Farhan was angry. (c) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kabir was scared.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Imran was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Maria was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling

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