← Show, don’t tell lesson New set →

Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 565 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Maria was happy.
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara was bored. (b) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun was bored.
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) angry
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tenzin was happy.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek. (b) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Neel was sad.
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Pooja was bored.
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) angry
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Maria was angry.
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) cold (b) tired (c) angry
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya was hungry. (b) Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Tara rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Tara was scared.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Farhan was cold.
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) telling (b) showing

Answer key

  1. Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  2. bored
  3. Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  4. showing
  5. Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  6. Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  7. showing
  8. tired
  9. Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  10. sad
  11. telling
  12. bored
  13. showing
  14. showing
  15. telling
  16. Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  17. Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  18. sad
  19. Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  20. telling
  21. tired
  22. A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.
  23. tired
  24. telling
  25. Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  26. Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  27. scared
  28. tired
  29. angry
  30. telling
  31. Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  32. tired
  33. Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  34. showing
  35. Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  36. Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  37. showing
  38. Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  39. Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  40. showing

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