Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 926 · 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 Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) tired (b) angry (c) scared
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha was bored. (b) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Nisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.
13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really tired.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) telling (b) showing
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is bored? (a) Joseph was bored. (b) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Neel was scared.
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kabir was sad. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) tired
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.” (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha was scared. (b) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was angry.” (a) showing (b) telling
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really hungry.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) telling (b) showing

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