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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 225 · 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 Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Arjun was hungry.
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is bored? (a) Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ananya was bored.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Manav was sad.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan was sad. (b) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) cold
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (c) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha was tired. (b) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Sneha was sad. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Dev was scared.
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Arjun was cold.
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Pooja’s cheek.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) angry (b) cold (c) tired
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is sad? (a) Manav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Manav was sad. (c) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) hungry
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was really cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Yash was angry. (c) Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Ananya was happy. (c) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.

Answer key

  1. Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  2. sad
  3. Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  4. telling
  5. hungry
  6. showing
  7. telling
  8. A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.
  9. angry
  10. Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  11. showing
  12. tired
  13. A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.
  14. Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  15. telling
  16. Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  17. Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  18. Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  19. showing
  20. tired
  21. hungry
  22. Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  23. scared
  24. happy
  25. cold
  26. showing
  27. cold
  28. tired
  29. Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  30. cold
  31. Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  32. telling
  33. scared
  34. telling
  35. showing
  36. Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  37. telling
  38. bored
  39. showing
  40. Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.

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