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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 112 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

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

Answer key

  1. showing
  2. sad
  3. angry
  4. Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  5. telling
  6. Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  7. hungry
  8. angry
  9. showing
  10. happy
  11. tired
  12. Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  13. Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  14. Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  15. hungry
  16. tired
  17. telling
  18. Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  19. Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  20. happy
  21. tired
  22. telling
  23. Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  24. bored
  25. Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  26. telling
  27. showing
  28. showing
  29. Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  30. Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  31. telling
  32. Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  33. Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  34. Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  35. Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  36. showing
  37. Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  38. telling
  39. showing
  40. Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.

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