Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 675 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Maria was bored. (c) Maria sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tenzin was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Vihaan was angry.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Rohan was cold.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Meera’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Meera was cold.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Vihaan was hungry. (c) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav was happy. (b) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Sahil laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Sahil was cold.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Kabir was happy.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan was hungry. (b) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold

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