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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 253 · 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?
    “Dev was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Farhan was bored.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Maria was angry. (c) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is scared? (a) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Tenzin was scared. (c) Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran felt very angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi was tired. (b) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya was hungry. (b) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Saanvi was sad. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is angry? (a) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Ananya was angry.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is sad? (a) Priya was sad. (b) Priya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha was bored. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Aisha’s cheek. (c) Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan was scared. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. tired
  3. hungry
  4. telling
  5. telling
  6. Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  7. angry
  8. Farhan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  9. cold
  10. showing
  11. telling
  12. Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  13. showing
  14. Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  15. Tenzin’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  16. happy
  17. telling
  18. showing
  19. Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  20. sad
  21. Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  22. Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  23. showing
  24. Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  25. telling
  26. sad
  27. angry
  28. telling
  29. showing
  30. Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  31. Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  32. telling
  33. Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  34. showing
  35. Tears filled Priya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  36. Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  37. happy
  38. Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  39. telling
  40. Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.

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