Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 864 · 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?
   “Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan was sad. (c) Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Fatima felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan was bored. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Diya was bored. (c) Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Meera was angry.
20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek. (c) Imran was hungry.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) bored
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Tenzin was angry. (c) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) showing (b) telling
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Ananya was angry. (c) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) angry (b) scared (c) tired
32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) angry (b) hungry (c) bored
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Priya was bored.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very bored.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) telling (b) showing

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