Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 7 · 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?
   “Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aarav was cold. (c) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Imran was happy.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Imran was scared. (c) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja was cold. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi was bored. (c) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Kavya was cold. (c) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is tired? (a) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Dev was tired.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ananya was bored.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Maria was cold.

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