Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 764 · 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?
   “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek. (c) Saanvi was sad.
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel was scared. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek. (c) Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Meera was cold.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Aryan was happy.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) telling (b) showing
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel was bored. (b) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) bored
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (c) Vihaan was sad.
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria was scared. (b) Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aisha was tired. (c) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kabir was tired.
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya was hungry. (b) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Nisha was tired.

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