Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 69 · 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 Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Nisha was happy.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav was hungry. (c) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kavya was bored.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) scared
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Nisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Nisha was scared.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Tenzin’s cheek. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.” (a) showing (b) telling
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ananya was cold.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima was happy. (b) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Yash was scared.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Dev was angry.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.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’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry

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