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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 185 · 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?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is tired? (a) Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Aisha was tired.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Pooja was hungry. (c) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Nisha was cold.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Sneha was hungry.
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Arjun was scared. (c) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Diya was hungry.
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Ananya was scared. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aarav was sad.
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav was angry. (b) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Imran was happy. (c) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan was angry. (b) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.

Answer key

  1. showing
  2. Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  3. Aisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  4. telling
  5. Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  6. hungry
  7. telling
  8. sad
  9. Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  10. sad
  11. telling
  12. showing
  13. angry
  14. bored
  15. telling
  16. Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  17. showing
  18. telling
  19. Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  20. telling
  21. Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  22. Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  23. showing
  24. showing
  25. tired
  26. Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  27. Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  28. Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  29. scared
  30. sad
  31. showing
  32. telling
  33. Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  34. Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  35. Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  36. telling
  37. Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  38. Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  39. telling
  40. Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.

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