← Show, don’t tell lesson New set →

Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 579 · 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 Diya is cold? (a) Diya was cold. (b) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran was sad. (b) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aisha was cold.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kavya was bored.
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Vihaan was cold. (c) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Zoya was bored. (c) Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph was scared. (b) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek. (c) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy

Answer key

  1. Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  2. Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  3. Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  4. telling
  5. telling
  6. sad
  7. sad
  8. sad
  9. showing
  10. telling
  11. telling
  12. hungry
  13. Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  14. Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  15. telling
  16. Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  17. bored
  18. showing
  19. showing
  20. happy
  21. Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  22. telling
  23. telling
  24. showing
  25. cold
  26. hungry
  27. Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  28. Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  29. telling
  30. Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  31. Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  32. telling
  33. telling
  34. Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  35. hungry
  36. sad
  37. showing
  38. showing
  39. Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  40. scared

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