Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 928 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
   “Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Sahil was tired.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Yash was tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan was scared. (b) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is tired? (a) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aryan was tired. (c) Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Kabir was hungry.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun was angry. (c) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was scared.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) scared
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Rohan was happy.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya was hungry. (b) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan was tired. (b) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aarav was hungry. (c) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) showing (b) telling
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) hungry (b) bored (c) scared
37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.” (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling

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