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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 208 · 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?
    “Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Sneha was scared. (c) Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) tired
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Imran was bored.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Aryan was angry. (c) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Neel was happy. (c) Neel could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Imran was hungry.
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Dev was happy. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sahil was cold.
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran was cold. (b) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Farhan was bored.
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav was sad. (b) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev was scared. (b) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) cold
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev was cold. (b) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.

Answer key

  1. showing
  2. showing
  3. Sneha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  4. sad
  5. cold
  6. Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  7. Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  8. telling
  9. Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  10. Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  11. sad
  12. sad
  13. showing
  14. angry
  15. Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  16. bored
  17. Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  18. sad
  19. scared
  20. telling
  21. telling
  22. angry
  23. scared
  24. Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  25. sad
  26. showing
  27. Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  28. telling
  29. telling
  30. Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  31. Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  32. Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  33. Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  34. Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  35. Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  36. hungry
  37. showing
  38. telling
  39. happy
  40. Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.

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