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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 126 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Farhan was cold.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Imran was cold.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Meera was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Sahil was happy.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) angry (b) hungry (c) scared
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is happy? (a) Rohan was happy. (b) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Dev was hungry.
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Dev was cold.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Sneha was bored. (c) Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Yash was scared.
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Vihaan was angry. (c) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya was angry. (c) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) hungry

Answer key

  1. scared
  2. Farhan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  3. Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  4. telling
  5. telling
  6. Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  7. sad
  8. happy
  9. A tear rolled slowly down Meera’s cheek.
  10. Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  11. angry
  12. hungry
  13. Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  14. telling
  15. Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  16. Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  17. Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  18. Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  19. cold
  20. telling
  21. showing
  22. sad
  23. telling
  24. telling
  25. Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  26. Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  27. Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  28. Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  29. scared
  30. cold
  31. bored
  32. Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  33. Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  34. sad
  35. Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  36. telling
  37. showing
  38. happy
  39. happy
  40. hungry

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