Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 743 · 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?
   “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Nisha was happy.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Neel was happy. (c) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran was tired. (b) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Meera was hungry. (c) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Kabir was happy.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav was hungry. (b) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is bored? (a) Fatima was bored. (b) Fatima kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha was hungry. (b) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Dev grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Dev was happy.
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ananya was bored.
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Vihaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) cold
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima was angry. (b) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya was tired. (b) Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Dev was scared. (c) Dev rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really bored.” (a) telling (b) showing

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