Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 639 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is tired? (a) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Zoya was tired.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (c) Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) tired (c) scared
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Sneha was scared. (c) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Ananya was happy.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Zoya was happy.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Yash was sad. (c) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Imran was sad.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran was happy. (b) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Imran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is scared? (a) Priya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Priya was scared. (c) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Saanvi froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.

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