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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 216 · 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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya felt very bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran was cold. (b) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aisha was happy.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) scared
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Aisha was happy.
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is angry? (a) Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Kavya was angry. (c) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Aryan was cold.
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Imran was bored.
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (c) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya was angry. (b) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Nisha was bored.
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is tired? (a) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Yash was tired. (c) Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Sahil was tired.
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. cold
  3. Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  4. happy
  5. telling
  6. scared
  7. cold
  8. Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  9. cold
  10. cold
  11. showing
  12. Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  13. telling
  14. telling
  15. Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  16. showing
  17. A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.
  18. Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  19. Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  20. sad
  21. tired
  22. Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  23. telling
  24. A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.
  25. cold
  26. showing
  27. cold
  28. showing
  29. showing
  30. angry
  31. bored
  32. showing
  33. happy
  34. Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  35. Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  36. telling
  37. Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  38. Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  39. Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  40. Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.

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