Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 724 · 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?
   “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Priya was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya was sad. (b) Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is bored? (a) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Tara was bored. (c) Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran was happy. (b) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Zoya was bored. (c) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Aisha was sad.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Zoya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Zoya was happy.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Aisha was happy.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Neel was tired.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan was happy. (b) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Pooja could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Pooja was tired.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Fatima was angry. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aarav was sad.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really scared.” (a) showing (b) telling

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