← Show, don’t tell lesson New set →

Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 72 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil was angry.
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Pooja was tired. (c) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Ananya was cold.
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) tired
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Arjun was happy.
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is tired? (a) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Kavya was tired.
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Zoya was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Riya was hungry.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin was scared. (b) Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) hungry
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Ishaan was cold.
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  3. Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  4. Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  5. bored
  6. Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  7. sad
  8. sad
  9. bored
  10. tired
  11. Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  12. Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  13. showing
  14. Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  15. hungry
  16. Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  17. bored
  18. telling
  19. tired
  20. showing
  21. telling
  22. telling
  23. Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  24. telling
  25. showing
  26. Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  27. Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  28. A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
  29. telling
  30. Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  31. telling
  32. telling
  33. Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  34. showing
  35. hungry
  36. showing
  37. scared
  38. Ishaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  39. showing
  40. telling

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