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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 167 · 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?
    “Meera felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Vihaan was hungry. (c) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) hungry
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Rohan was tired.
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Tara was hungry.
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tara’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tara was scared.
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin was tired. (b) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) scared
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) tired (b) hungry (c) sad
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) cold
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil was bored. (b) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Diya was angry.
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Yash was sad. (c) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) showing (b) telling

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  3. Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  4. telling
  5. scared
  6. scared
  7. telling
  8. hungry
  9. happy
  10. sad
  11. sad
  12. bored
  13. showing
  14. Rohan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  15. Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  16. telling
  17. cold
  18. sad
  19. Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  20. Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  21. happy
  22. telling
  23. hungry
  24. showing
  25. sad
  26. Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  27. tired
  28. sad
  29. bored
  30. showing
  31. telling
  32. Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  33. showing
  34. Sahil drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  35. tired
  36. Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  37. telling
  38. Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  39. Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  40. showing

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