Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 580 · 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 Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Joseph shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Joseph was sad.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Meera was angry.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Saanvi was angry.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Aryan was bored. (c) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav was angry. (b) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ananya was hungry.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan was scared. (b) Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored

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