Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 878 · 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 Diya is sad? (a) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kavya was angry. (c) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was sad.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan was cold. (b) Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Tenzin was bored.
16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Manav was cold. (c) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Maria was bored.
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) happy
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya was sad. (b) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.
24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is scared? (a) Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Farhan was scared.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria was tired. (b) Maria kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Maria rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan was scared. (b) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aisha was tired.
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing

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