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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 178 · 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 Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tenzin was angry.
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) cold
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) showing (b) telling
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Diya was sad.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Saanvi was cold.
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Yash kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Yash was scared.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Simran was hungry.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Joseph was sad.
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Vihaan was scared. (c) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Ananya was bored. (c) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) scared
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel was angry. (b) Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Yash was hungry.
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Tara’s cheek.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling

Answer key

  1. Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  2. cold
  3. cold
  4. angry
  5. telling
  6. telling
  7. showing
  8. Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  9. tired
  10. cold
  11. Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  12. Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  13. tired
  14. bored
  15. Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  16. Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  17. showing
  18. Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  19. sad
  20. Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  21. Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  22. bored
  23. scared
  24. cold
  25. telling
  26. telling
  27. cold
  28. Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  29. angry
  30. telling
  31. hungry
  32. Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  33. bored
  34. Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  35. scared
  36. Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  37. Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  38. Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  39. sad
  40. telling

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