Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 955 · 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?
   “Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.” (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Imran was cold.
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Joseph was tired.
4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Pooja felt very tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) telling (b) showing
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kabir was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Riya was sad. (b) Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi was bored. (b) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Maria was scared.
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek. (b) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Priya was sad.
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (b) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ishaan was cold.
15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi was angry. (b) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil was scared. (c) Sahil rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aarav was bored. (c) Aarav drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Meera could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really cold.” (a) telling (b) showing
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Farhan was angry. (c) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was angry.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was cold.” (a) showing (b) telling
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Imran was angry.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Fatima’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Rohan was angry. (c) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha was cold. (b) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran was tired. (b) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Yash was cold.
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Rohan was sad.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Kavya was bored. (c) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir was bored. (b) Kabir dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.

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