Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 53 · 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 Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Ananya was angry.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Yash was scared.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is tired? (a) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Sneha was tired.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav was cold.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Tenzin was sad.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria was scared.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Dev was scared.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya was sad. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) happy
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Zoya was scared. (c) Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin was cold. (b) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun was happy.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ananya was cold. (c) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing

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