← Show, don’t tell lesson New set →

Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 852 · 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.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Joseph was bored. (c) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kabir was hungry.
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Simran was happy.
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Nisha was sad. (b) Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) bored (c) hungry
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya was hungry. (b) Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan was happy. (b) Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Vihaan was cold.
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired

Answer key

  1. Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  2. Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  3. telling
  4. scared
  5. showing
  6. Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  7. Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  8. happy
  9. telling
  10. angry
  11. Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  12. happy
  13. happy
  14. Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  15. Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  16. Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  17. bored
  18. sad
  19. sad
  20. Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  21. telling
  22. bored
  23. telling
  24. cold
  25. Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  26. scared
  27. angry
  28. Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  29. bored
  30. Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  31. showing
  32. hungry
  33. bored
  34. hungry
  35. Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  36. telling
  37. showing
  38. Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  39. telling
  40. tired

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