Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 832 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran was cold. (b) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Ishaan was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav felt very scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) sad (c) tired
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Sneha was bored. (c) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ananya was hungry.
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) hungry
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek. (c) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ananya was hungry.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Kabir was cold.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Manav was angry.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) cold (b) sad (c) angry
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek. (b) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Joseph was happy.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Maria was cold.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Pooja was angry.
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is cold? (a) Tara was cold. (b) Tara sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.

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