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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 139 · 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 Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Saanvi was cold. (c) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Saanvi was hungry. (c) Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Nisha was angry.
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Riya was hungry.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aisha was happy. (c) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is scared? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Imran was scared.
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Kavya was happy. (c) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ananya was hungry.
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) bored
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Vihaan was angry. (c) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) hungry
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Maria was scared. (c) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) happy
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Dev was happy.
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is tired? (a) Diya was tired. (b) Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.

Answer key

  1. Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  2. telling
  3. Saanvi gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  4. telling
  5. Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  6. telling
  7. Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  8. telling
  9. tired
  10. Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  11. showing
  12. angry
  13. Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  14. Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  15. Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  16. tired
  17. telling
  18. telling
  19. showing
  20. Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  21. telling
  22. telling
  23. Ananya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  24. sad
  25. angry
  26. Vihaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  27. showing
  28. telling
  29. hungry
  30. telling
  31. Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  32. Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  33. showing
  34. happy
  35. Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  36. Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  37. bored
  38. telling
  39. telling
  40. Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.

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