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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 127 · 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?
    “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) angry
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Maria was scared. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Priya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Priya was bored.
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kabir was happy.
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel was sad. (b) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya was angry. (b) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Ananya was sad. (c) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav was cold. (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Pooja was bored.
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aisha was tired.
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Pooja was hungry.
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Sneha was happy. (c) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash was tired. (b) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) telling (b) showing

Answer key

  1. sad
  2. Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  3. angry
  4. Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  5. Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  6. tired
  7. showing
  8. showing
  9. telling
  10. Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  11. Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  12. Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  13. telling
  14. angry
  15. showing
  16. telling
  17. telling
  18. Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  19. Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  20. happy
  21. telling
  22. Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  23. Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  24. telling
  25. sad
  26. telling
  27. Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  28. happy
  29. Aisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  30. Pooja gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  31. cold
  32. angry
  33. showing
  34. angry
  35. Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  36. telling
  37. telling
  38. showing
  39. Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  40. showing

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