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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 116 · 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.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is sad? (a) Aryan was sad. (b) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil was bored. (b) Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (b) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Arjun was happy.
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Ishaan was sad. (c) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Maria was hungry. (c) Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) bored
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Kavya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Neel was angry. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph was hungry. (b) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tara was angry. (c) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.

Answer key

  1. A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.
  2. happy
  3. telling
  4. telling
  5. bored
  6. Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  7. Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  8. Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  9. telling
  10. telling
  11. scared
  12. Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  13. Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  14. showing
  15. telling
  16. angry
  17. showing
  18. Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  19. cold
  20. Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  21. happy
  22. telling
  23. Maria kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  24. telling
  25. tired
  26. sad
  27. telling
  28. telling
  29. Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  30. Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  31. Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  32. Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  33. telling
  34. Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  35. telling
  36. telling
  37. hungry
  38. sad
  39. Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  40. Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.

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