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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 189 · 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 felt very tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) cold
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is tired? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan was tired. (c) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Saanvi was happy. (c) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Yash was cold. (c) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) showing (b) telling
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Ananya was cold.
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) hungry (b) happy (c) sad
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan was bored. (c) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) tired
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi was scared.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Arjun was hungry.
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is happy? (a) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aarav was happy. (c) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Diya was hungry.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Riya was bored.
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Dev was cold. (c) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya was sad. (b) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tara was tired.
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. scared
  3. Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  4. Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  5. scared
  6. Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  7. telling
  8. hungry
  9. Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  10. showing
  11. showing
  12. Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  13. hungry
  14. showing
  15. cold
  16. showing
  17. Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  18. telling
  19. telling
  20. angry
  21. scared
  22. Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  23. Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  24. Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  25. Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  26. telling
  27. Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  28. showing
  29. sad
  30. Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  31. showing
  32. Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  33. telling
  34. showing
  35. showing
  36. Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  37. Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  38. Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  39. Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  40. telling

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